Yemen Conflict Escalates as Government Forces Strike Houthi Targets
Yemen's government forces have escalated their conflict with Houthi rebels, launching airstrikes against key targets across the country. The strikes, which began on Sunday, hit areas in the capital Sanaa, the northwestern governorate of Saada - a stronghold for the Houthis - and Taiz in the southwest.
The fighting has deepened the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, one of the world's poorest nations, where three-quarters of the population is unable to meet its basic food needs, according to the World Food Program. The renewed conflict began after Iran sent a plane carrying a Houthi delegation to Sanaa without seeking authorization from Saudi Arabia, contravening a decade-old practice.
The Houthis have responded to the airstrikes by claiming an attack on an oil facility near Riyadh, where flames and smoke were seen rising. The group has also accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa dozens of times. The conflict has intensified since the Houthis seized control of coastal regions along the Bab al-Mandab strait in a lightning offensive last month.