Houthis Strike Oil Facility Near Riyadh Amid Escalating Conflict

The conflict between the Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia has escalated, with both sides trading strikes in recent days. The Houthis claimed to have attacked an oil facility near Riyadh on Saturday, causing flames and smoke to rise from the area. An AFP journalist reported seeing firefighters attempting to extinguish a blaze at Aramco's Riyadh refinery.

The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said that the group had targeted an oil facility in Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, sparking fires at the targeted sites. This attack comes after Saudi Arabia struck Sanaa dozens of times, according to the Houthis' Al-Masirah channel.

The fighting has worsened the humanitarian situation in Yemen, one of the world's poorest countries, with the World Food Programme warning that three-quarters of the population was unable to meet its basic food needs. The conflict has also led to a naval blockade on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.