Yemen's Houthi rebels reported dozens of Saudi airstrikes on Wednesday as daily attacks continued in a conflict that has reignited amid broader regional hostilities, with hundreds killed in recent fighting.
The rebels stated that more than 40 airstrikes targeted several regions, including the flashpoint areas of Taiz and Hodeida, which have been scenes of intense clashes between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government. These recent attacks follow the Houthis' significant missile and drone assaults on Saudi Arabia, which ignited oil sites and injured 73 people—their most substantial attacks against the Kingdom in years.
The escalating conflict in Yemen is occurring against the backdrop of a wider Middle East war. On Wednesday, Iran announced attacks on American vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and a US military base in Jordan, in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian oil tankers. This regional conflict has drawn in Yemen and the energy-rich Gulf states, impacting the global economy and pushing oil prices back to $100 a barrel.
Since the Houthis launched a major offensive last week to seize territory around the Bab al-Mandab strait, a crucial gateway to the Red Sea shipping route, more than 500 people have reportedly died. Analysts suggest the rebels' actions, including attacks on Saudi oil tankers, are an effort to tighten control over shipping routes, particularly after Iran's blockade of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia has not issued an official comment on the latest airstrikes, though Saudi civil defense issued and subsequently lifted a warning for the southern governorate of Khamis Mushait. On Tuesday, Saudi authorities vowed a response to the Houthi attacks, citing fires and temporary shutdowns at oil sites. The European Union has urged the Houthis to cease their attacks, characterizing them as a "dangerous escalation" and calling for an end to all attacks inside and outside Yemen, including those targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
