Houthi Attacks on Saudi Oil Facilities Wound Over 70 People

The Iranian-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen launched a wave of attacks on Saudi Arabia, wounding over 70 people and igniting fires at oil facilities and utilities in the kingdom. The attack was a major escalation in renewed fighting between an important U.S. ally and the Iranian proxy group.

The Houthis targeted oil facilities connected to an alternative route, the Bab el-Mandeb, a strategic waterway off the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The attacks hit Saudi oil facilities in southern regions, including major refineries and industrial hubs.

The World Health Organization reported at least 194 people killed and over 880 wounded between August 23 and September 5, with thousands displaced in recent weeks due to renewed fighting. The flare-up has pushed the country to the brink of famine, according to UN estimates.