Most Gulf stock markets ended lower on Sunday as fears of a broader Iran-linked conflict weighed on investor sentiment after Yemen's Houthis launched their first attacks on Israel since the conflict began and the U.S. deployed additional forces to the Middle East.

The Washington Post reported on Saturday that U.S. officials said the Pentagon was making preparations for a potential multi-week ground operation in Iran, though it remained uncertain whether President Donald Trump would authorise the deployment of ground forces.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index <.TASI> gave up early gains to finish 0.1% down, with Saudi National Bank <1180.SE> losing 1.9%.

Meanwhile, the kingdom's East-West pipeline, which circumvents the Strait of Hormuz, is pumping oil at full capacity of 7 million barrels per day, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Brent crude futures <LCOc1> rose by $4.56, or 4.2%, to $112.57 a barrel on Friday, reflecting scepticism over prospects for a ceasefire in the month-old Iran war. [O/R]

The Qatari index <.QSI> declined 1% as Qatar National Bank <QNBK.QA>, the Gulf's biggest lender by assets, retreated by 1.3%.

The Kuwait bourse <.BKP> dropped 0.7% and the Bahrain market <.BAX> dipped by 0.1%.

Bucking the trend, Oman's index <.MSX30> gained 0.8%.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index <.EGX30> fell 1.3%, with Commercial International Bank <COMI.CA> losing 1.1%.

Egypt will slow down large state projects that involve high fuel and diesel consumption for at least two months while fuel allocations for all government vehicles will be cut by 30%, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Saturday.

Saudi Arabia

<.TASI> lost 0.1% to 11,076

Qatar

<.QSI> declined 1% to 10,160

Egypt

<.EGX30> dropped 1.3% to 46,404

Bahrain

<.BAX> eased 0.1% to 1,908

Oman

<.MSX30> gained 0.8% to 8,029

Kuwait

<.BKP> fell 0.7% to 8,924

(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in BengaluruEditing by David Goodman)