Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels reported that Saudi enemy aircraft launched 32 airstrikes on various areas across the governorates of Marib, Al-Jawf, Taiz and Hodeida over the past few hours. This comes a day after the rebels launched major attacks on their neighbor, injuring dozens of people. There has been no official comment from Saudi Arabia about the Houthi report.
Saudi authorities previously stated that Houthi attacks caused temporary shutdowns at oil sites and injured 73 people early Tuesday. The rebels reported Saudi airstrikes following the attacks. Deadly fighting reignited in Yemen last week, when the Houthis launched a major campaign to seize territory near the Bab al-Mandab strait. The strait has become an increasingly important route for Saudi oil since Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, choking Gulf exports.
The latest fighting in Yemen has killed more than 500 people, mostly combatants from both sides, according to an AFP tally based on sources from each camp. The Houthis have been piling pressure on their Saudi foe, the world's top oil exporter, for weeks. They have repeatedly attacked Saudi oil infrastructure and tankers since July, when a 2022 truce between the two sides unravelled.
The rebels also declared a maritime blockade of the kingdom and began attacking Saudi ships, squeezing Saudi exports, which were already reeling from Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis triggered the return to hostilities in Yemen's civil war in July, when they let an Iranian plane land in defiance of Saudi control of Yemeni airspace. The government retaliated by striking the airport, an attack the rebels blame on their Saudi backer.
The ongoing conflict in Yemen has significant implications for regional stability and global oil markets. The Bab al-Mandab strait, a critical chokepoint for international shipping, has seen increased hostilities as both sides vie for control. The recent escalation in airstrikes and attacks on oil infrastructure underscores the volatile nature of the conflict and its broader impact on the region.
