Houthis Strike Saudi Targets Amid Ongoing Red Sea Conflict

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched strikes against targets in Saudi Arabia as part of an ongoing offensive to seize territory near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The Houthis had accused Riyadh on Monday of carrying out strikes around the country, including a deadly bombardment of a prison.

The Ansarollah media outlet reported that Yemeni drones and missiles pounded the Saudi enemy, hitting Abha International Airport, King Khalid air base, and facilities belonging to state-owned oil giant Aramco in Abha and Jizan. The strikes are part of an effort by the Houthis to capture land bordering the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The strait forms the southern entrance to the Red Sea, a shipping artery that has become vital for Saudi oil exports amid Tehran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the US-Iran war on Iran. Days of fighting near the Red Sea coast have left more than 300 people dead and displaced hundreds of families.