Houthi Rebels Launch Major Attack on Saudi Oil Targets

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched a major attack on four cities in Saudi Arabia's south, wounding over 70 people and setting oil installations ablaze. The attacks marked a significant escalation of the six-month-old Middle East war.

The Houthis used drones and missiles to strike a Saudi airbase in Khamis Mushair, and targets belonging to Saudi Arabia's state oil company in Abha, Najran, and Jazan. Saudi authorities reported blazes at the sites and said women and children were among those injured.

The attacks appear to be among the largest carried out against Saudi Arabia since the US and Israel launched their war against Iran in February. The conflict has caused global shortages of crude oil and refined fuels, with diesel fuel prices reaching a record high of over $5.90 a gallon in the US.