The Houthis, an Iranian-backed Yemeni rebel group, launched an offensive against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, targeting oil sector targets. The attack left 73 injured, according to official announcements from sources in both countries. The action was carried out with drones and missiles fired at the International Airport and other Saudi facilities.
The offensive occurs amid an escalation of tensions in southwestern Yemen, where Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized Yemeni government, backed by Riyadh, resumed high-intensity fighting on Thursday. The dispute is over control of areas near the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, a strategic navigable passage connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
The confrontation between the two parties over the region near the strait has already left more than 300 dead. Saudi authorities promised retaliation for the attack. The conflict in the area represents an intensification of the Yemeni civil war, which has lasted years and involves multiple regional actors with competing interests.
