Houthis Attack Saudi Cities as US Strikes Iranian Tankers

The conflict in the Middle East has escalated with Iranian-backed Houthis launching attacks on Saudi cities and US forces striking Iranian tankers. The Houthis attacked four cities in southern Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 people and setting oil installations ablaze.

According to the US military's Central Command, they destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers in response to Iran's targeting of a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the previous two days. The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that 'Iran continues to try to hit U.S. naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they're going to lose tankers.'

Iran retaliated by launching a ballistic missile attack on a US base near Al Azraq in Jordan, but Jordan's air defences intercepted 18 of the 20 missiles.