Saudi Arabia faced a major new threat Tuesday as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis launched attacks on four southern cities.
More than 70 people were injured and oil facilities were set ablaze. But is this the start of a much wider escalation?
The Houthis said they carried out a broad operation using drones and missiles against a Saudi airbase in Khamis Mushait.
They said they also targeted oil facilities near Abha, Najran and Jazan.
Satellite images showed thick smoke rising over the Jazan refinery and another oil facility in Abha.
Saudi authorities said 73 people were hurt, including women and children.
The attacks come after weeks of relative calm and could further shake global energy markets.
Oil Supply Fears Mount
Brent crude climbed to $99.46 a barrel on Tuesday as renewed fighting raised fears of supply disruptions.
Saudi Arabia has battled the Houthis for more than a decade.
Recent fighting in Yemen has intensified after Saudi-backed government forces launched an offensive against Houthi-held areas.
Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki vowed to take “all necessary operational measures” against the group.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree, meanwhile, blamed Riyadh for escalating the conflict.
The wider US-Iran confrontation is already threatening oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.
With missiles flying and oil prices climbing, the battlefield is no longer just Yemen, it is hitting the global economy too.
