The Houthis, a Yemeni rebel group allied with Iran in the so-called "Axis of Resistance," claimed on Monday a "large-scale military operation" against Saudi Arabia, firing dozens of missiles at Saudi territory. New airstrikes hit areas in Saudi Arabia amid the deepening hostilities between the rebels and the Riyadh government.
The escalation occurs a day after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with the head of US Central Command (Centcom), Admiral Brad Cooper, to discuss the security situation in the Middle East. The consequences of the war between Washington and Tehran blur with those of the dispute in Yemeni soil, according to the article.
Brent crude oil reached over $108 a barrel on Monday, with instabilities in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb pressuring the international market. The United Nations reported that 46,000 people have fled Yemen following the Houthi escalation in the region.
Former President Donald Trump revealed that the Houthi rebels asked the United States not to intervene in the conflict. Riyadh contacted Washington after damage to a strategic oil pipeline, evidencing Saudi concern over the security of its energy infrastructure.
