New front in US-Iran war escalates as Houthis fire at Saudi oil facilities

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Yemen’s Houthi forces, backed by Tehran, launched missiles and drones at two major Saudi oil sites on the Red Sea, widening a regional conflict tied to the US-Israel war against Iran. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the attacks targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in Jizan and Yanbu. Saudi Arabia had not commented on possible damage in Jizan, where smoke was seen after the strike, while two missiles aimed at Yanbu oil installations were intercepted by a Patriot battery operated by Greek forces under an agreement with Riyadh.

The strikes follow a renewed breakdown in the Saudi-Houthi truce that had largely held since 2022. Al Jazeera says tensions escalated after an attack on Sanaa airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing, prompting Houthi missile fire at Saudi Arabia. The Houthis later announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, and Riyadh carried out air strikes on Houthi-held Hodeidah on Friday, setting the stage for Sunday’s retaliation.

The report places the Saudi-Houthi escalation within a broader confrontation involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Iran had faced 13 consecutive waves of overnight US air strikes since July 11 after the IRGC attacked tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, though no new US strikes were reported for a second straight night by Sunday morning. Al Jazeera also cited signs of indirect US-Iran communication through mediators, while noting deep mistrust and limited progress.

The conflict also appeared to spread beyond the Gulf and Red Sea. Iran accused Ukraine of a deadly strike on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv had hit vessels linked to Iranian military cargo shipments. The developments raise concern over key shipping routes, including Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb.