Houthis Claim New Attacks on Saudi Arabia Amid Escalating Conflict
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed new attacks on neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis, who are fighting against the Saudi-backed government of Yemen, said they targeted a military base in Sharurah province in Saudi Arabia's Najran region. A Houthi spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, made the claim without providing evidence or saying when the attack occurred.
The Saudi civil defense confirmed that a projectile fell near the border with Yemen, injuring two people and damaging buildings, including a mosque. The Houthis have been hitting Saudi oil infrastructure and shipping as part of a recently declared blockade. Despite this, markets remain wary, and oil prices have risen again.
The rapid advance of the Houthis has alarmed both Yemeni civilians and international markets. The capture of a key port city and an island on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has raised concerns about a return to devastating civil war in Yemen. Sultan al-Arada, a member of the ruling presidential council, described the collapse of government forces as 'painful and regrettable.'