Houthis renew attacks on Saudi Arabia as Gulf-Iran talks stall

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement has launched a new wave of missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia as fighting intensifies and planned Gulf talks with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz are postponed.

Reuters reported that the Houthis said they targeted a military airbase in Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia with dozens of missiles and drones. The Saudi-led coalition said 13 civilians were wounded in the attacks.

The renewed fighting comes as Houthi forces consolidate positions along Yemen’s western Red Sea coast. Yemeni officials said the group had taken Perim Island at the mouth of the Red Sea, increasing pressure on regional shipping and Saudi energy infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia is already dealing with the shutdown of its east-west oil pipeline following an earlier aerial attack. The pipeline was built to move oil from the Gulf to the Red Sea and bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Traders have warned that a prolonged outage, combined with disruption through the strait, could remove a significant volume of oil from global supply.

Saudi and Yemeni forces have responded with intensified air strikes against Houthi positions, including around the Red Sea port of Mocha.

Diplomatic efforts have also suffered a setback. Oman had been expected to host talks involving Iran and Gulf states aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but the meeting was postponed. The waterway has historically carried a major share of global oil exports.

The escalating confrontation has added to concerns that the wider Middle East conflict could spread further and place additional pressure on international energy markets.

Source: Reuters

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