Houthis Solidify Gains in New Middle East War Front, Launch Strikes on Saudi Targets

Saudi warplanes pounded Yemen on Wednesday as the Iran-backed Houthis solidified their gains in the new Middle East war front. The Houthis swept through Yemeni towns along the Red Sea coast and seized islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at its mouth, extending Tehran's reach in the region.

The Houthis launched fresh drone and missile strikes on the major Saudi Red Sea oil port of Yanbu and at a southern Saudi airbase at Khamis Mushait. They also shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet, according to their military spokesperson Yahya Saree. Saudi officials have acknowledged conducting airstrikes on Houthi positions, but the number is disputed - they claim as many as 450 this week.

The conflict has intensified sharply this month when the Houthis pushed back forces aligned with the Saudi-backed internationally recognized Yemeni government. The United States tightened its travel warning for Saudi Arabia, banning government employees from traveling within 32 kilometers of the Yemen border due to the escalating violence.