World · Daily Terminal
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have attacked four cities in Saudi Arabia, wounding more than 70 people and setting oil installations ablaze. This marks a significant escalation in the Middle East conflict. Saudi Arabia responded by stating it would retaliate after overnight strikes involving dozens of drones and missiles targeting oil facilities in the country’s south. The Saudi foreign ministry demanded a halt to Houthi strikes on Saudi territory and oil tankers in the Red Sea. Pro-government forces in Yemen’s war have vowed to deter the Houthis with resolute measures.
The Houthis, who control most of Yemen’s populated areas including the capital, launched a broad operation deep into Saudi territory using drones and missiles. They struck an airbase in the southern city of Khamis Mushait, and targets belonging to Saudi Arabia’s state oil company in nearby Abha and Najran on the Yemeni border, as well as the Aramco facility at Jizan. Jizan, home to one of Saudi Arabia’s largest refineries, was damaged in an attack weeks prior. Saudi authorities reported that women and children among the 73 wounded.
The attacks represent the largest strikes on Saudi Arabia since the US-Israel war against Iran began in February. While the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have long been involved in a conflict in Yemen, the US-Israel war has added a new regional dimension. After a month of relative calm in August, Iran and the US resumed exchanges of fire, pushing global oil prices back up to July levels. Brent crude prices rose over 2% on Tuesday, reaching above $99 per barrel.
Houthi strikes on southwestern Saudi Arabia could worsen the war’s global economic impact by disrupting Middle East energy supplies beyond the blockaded Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia has led an Arab coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen for over a decade. The conflict had calmed in recent years, but a ceasefire broke down, with Houthis threatening shipping at the Red Sea’s mouth.
The Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree accused Riyadh of escalating the war by launching air strikes on Yemen, vowing a response. Meanwhile, Washington is guiding ships through the Strait of Hormuz to increase oil flow, while imposing a blockade on Iran’s exports. Tehran announced new measures to seal off the strait, including a maritime exclusion zone extending from the US blockade into the Gulf.
Recent tensions saw Washington retaliate against Iranian tankers over the weekend for attacks on US warships. Iran responded with new, more capable ballistic missiles, signaling a recalibrated posture toward US ships and bases. Gulf expert Andreas Krieg at King’s College London noted that Houthi attacks create an uncomfortable dilemma for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has sought to withdraw from Yemen. Krieg warned that restraint now risks allowing the Houthis to dictate escalation.
The escalation reflects broader regional tensions, with Iran’s actions and the US-Israel conflict adding new layers to the conflict dynamics.
Source: The Guardian
