Houthis Escalate Conflict with Missile and Drone Strikes on Saudi Arabia

Yemen's Houthi rebels fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to airstrikes on the Red Sea city of Hodeida, escalating tensions over vital shipping routes in West Asia. The Houthis' military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said the attack targeted facilities in Yanbu and Jizan that belong to Aramco, the world's largest oil company.

The strikes on Hodeida city came after Saudi Arabia struck two legitimate military targets in Hodeida province, which were linked to threats to commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The Houthis have threatened to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Saudi-linked shipping, a vital chokepoint that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

The rising tension in the Red Sea threatens global shipping, as around 12% of the world's trade passes through the narrows. The Houthis have also targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea this week.