Houthis Launch New Wave of Attacks on Saudi Targets Amid Escalating Regional Conflict
The Houthi movement in Yemen launched a new barrage of missile and drone attacks on Saudi military targets, escalating the conflict in the region. The group targeted fighter jet hangars, radars, runways, and ammunition depots at King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait. This comes as Iran denied any involvement in the Yemen war, with Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stating that the Houthis are 'entirely independent actors who make their decisions based on their own interests.'
The renewed fighting has sent oil prices soaring once again, and the Houthi offensive has made it clear that the Bab al-Mandab waterway is now essential for Saudi oil exports. The strait has become a key location in the wider Middle East war, with Iran continuing to block the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's denial of involvement comes as US President Donald Trump rejected a request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to intervene in the war. The Saudi crown prince received the commander of the US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, in Jeddah on Monday to discuss 'the latest developments in the region.'