Hostilities between Saudi and Houthi rebels escalate in Yemen

Houthi rebels on Wednesday said Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes in Yemen, as hostilities between Riyadh and the Iran-backed militia escalate toward all-out war.

Saudi had vowed to retaliate after the Houthis carried out their largest attack on the kingdom since a 2022 ceasefire, injuring 73 people and disrupting oil production. Riyadh is now contending with simultaneous disruptions to both of its primary shipping lanes, in the Red Sea’s Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz, as the kingdom’s oil exports fell to 13-year lows.

The Houthis see the current conflict as a “golden opportunity” to change the balance of power, a Middle East expert told The New York Times. “A reduction in hostilities any time soon seems unlikely,” ACLED wrote.