Hezbollah's Al Manar TV said, citing a spokesman for the Yemeni armed forces, that Saudi aircraft carried out 61 strikes on Sanaa and several other governorates over the past 24 hours. It said Yemeni forces also hit King Fahd International Airport in Dammam with a drone, halting air navigation there.

Dammam has been a named target before. The Houthis claimed a strike on King Fahd Airport on October 22, and the UK advised against travel to Dammam. Houthi strikes on October 11 also hit Dammam Airport, and Riyadh Airport extended its flight suspension after confirmed damage from them.

The claims arrive alongside talk of a settlement. The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the discussions, that the Houthis demanded $51bn in compensation for years of Saudi-led airstrikes and a blockade, plus formal recognition as Yemen's rulers. It said Riyadh had approached the Houthis to explore a deal. Other figures were later discussed, but any agreement would still involve tens of billions of dollars. There is no sign Saudi Arabia has accepted the demands or made a counteroffer.

For the market, this looks like continuity rather than a new input. As of late October, Saudi export volumes and the Gulf crude premium had held through dozens of similar alerts and strikes this cycle. A halt to air navigation at Dammam would be a different matter, but the only account of one so far is the Yemeni claim.

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