Houthi Attacks Escalate Yemen War Amid US-Iran Pause
The Iran war continues to escalate despite a pause in US strikes, with Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis attacking Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast.
Saudi Arabia has confirmed that the Houthi militia struck sites belonging to the state-owned oil company Aramco in the cities of Jizan and Yanbu on Saturday. A large column of smoke was seen rising from the direction of the Aramco refinery in Jizan, near the Yemeni border.
The US military has announced that its naval blockade against Iran remains in effect but did not explain why it halted a streak of 13 nights of escalating strikes. The Pentagon declined to comment on reports that President Donald Trump has decided to back away from plans to ramp up attacks on Iran, citing concerns about expanding the conflict and depleting defence stockpiles.
The Gulf lull was short-lived as Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group struck sites belonging to Saudi state oil company Aramco in Jizan and Yanbu. The refinery can process up to 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily, while Yanbu is a key route for Saudi oil skirting the Strait of Hormuz.
In Yemen, officials said the air force of the Saudi-backed government struck Houthi sites in Marib and al-Jawf provinces. Both sides are mobilising forces along the front as the civil war continues to rage.