Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said Houthi forces shot down a Saudi-operated Wing Loong II armed reconnaissance drone over Taiz province while it was conducting a hostile mission.

Nikkei reports Saudi Arabia and the UAE will help Asian countries accumulate oil reserves. Japan-led Asia Zero-Emissions Community, comprising 11 countries, held a ministerial meeting Thursday in the Philippines; senior Saudi and UAE officials will attend special consultations and are expected to signal cooperation on reserve accumulation. The International Energy Forum will meet in Saudi Arabia on Oct. 11; Japan is expected to present a framework for Asia-Middle East cooperation. The community plans a joint statement to form the basis for talks with Middle Eastern producers, followed by bilateral discussions to finalize scale and mechanics; Saudi and UAE officials are expected to expand exports to target countries and prioritise supply in emergency situations.

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) CEO said current oil production is about 2.0 mln bpd, down from roughly 2.6 mln bpd before the war. KPC is relying on its strategic tanker fleet to maintain exports; pipelines and inventories cannot substitute for free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.