Middle East Conflict Escalates as Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis Clash
The conflict in the Middle East has escalated, with Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis exchanging strikes across their border. The fighting has led to a significant increase in oil prices, with global crude prices remaining above $100 a barrel.
According to reports, Houthi-controlled television reported Saudi airstrikes in Hajjah province near the Saudi border and the vicinity of Taiz further inland to the south. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's civil defence confirmed that a Yemeni living in Saudi Arabia was killed by debris from a drone intercepted over the western city of Taif.
The conflict has also had a devastating impact on civilians, with over 100,000 Yemenis displaced by the latest fighting. Those who have managed to flee are seeking refuge across the Bab el-Mandeb strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
US President Donald Trump is facing pressure to intervene in the conflict, but has so far refused to provide military support to Saudi Arabia. Trump has stated that he is considering restarting massive attacks on Iran, saying 'I have a big decision coming up... Do I want to go in and annihilate them or do I not? It's a big decision.'