Houthis Strike Saudi Facilities in Escalating Middle East Tensions

Yemen's Houthi rebels fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to Saudi airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea city of Hodeida, escalating tensions over vital shipping routes in the Middle East. The Houthis targeted facilities in the Red Sea cities of Yanbu and Jizan belonging to Aramco, the world's largest oil company.

The strikes come after the Houthis said they would close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Saudi-linked shipping, a vital chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Around 12% of the world's trade passes through this strait, including a quarter of its container traffic.

The conflict has killed over 3,400 people in Iran and thousands more across the region. The US and Israel attacked Iran in February, leading to a tenuous ceasefire that has since unraveled. Tensions remain high following recent escalations between the two countries over the Strait of Hormuz.