Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Installations Amid Escalating Middle East Conflict

The conflict in the Middle East has escalated further as Yemen's Houthi militants launched attacks on Saudi oil installations in Jizan and Yanbu. The strikes, which were carried out with ballistic missiles, targeted sites belonging to Saudi state oil giant Aramco. While one missile was intercepted by a U.S.-made Patriot battery operated in Saudi Arabia by the Greek military, two others appear to have caused damage.

The attack comes as a surprise given that the United States had held back from launching air strikes on Iran for the first time in two weeks. The reason for this sudden halt is unclear, but it has sparked speculation about potential negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Meanwhile, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi declared that all Saudi oil facilities could be targets.

The escalation of tensions has contributed to a sharp rise in global oil prices, with Brent crude spiking above $100 a barrel for the first time since May. U.S. President Donald Trump vowed 'major military punishment' for Tehran and the Houthis after the Houthis struck two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea.