Houthis Fire Missiles at Saudi Arabia in Escalating Yemen Conflict

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia on Saturday, targeting facilities in the Red Sea cities of Yanbu and Jizan that belong to Aramco, the world's largest oil company. The attack was a response to Saudi airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea city of Hodeida, which had injured two people, according to Anees al-Asbahi, a spokesperson for the Houthi-run health ministry.

The Houthis have threatened to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Saudi-linked shipping in retaliation for the kingdom's blockade on Yemen and a recent attack on the international airport in Yemen's rebel-held capital, Sanaa. The strait is a vital shipping chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, with around 12% of the world's trade passing through it.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, called for 'diplomacy and dialogue' to solve the Yemen conflict without 'military confrontations', but the situation remains tense. The US military has renewed its blockade of Iran's ports, and Iran's Revolutionary Guard has advised residents of neighboring countries to stay away from bases with US troops.