Tensions in the Middle East have intensified once again after Iran-backed Houthi forces launched missiles and drones toward a military base in Saudi Arabia.
The attack targeted the area of Khamis Mushait, near the Saudi-Yemeni border. The Houthis described the operation as retaliation for Saudi airstrikes carried out in Yemen.
Saudi authorities reported emergency alerts in Khamis Mushait and three other cities in the southern part of the country.
Meanwhile, Arab Gulf states have called off a meeting with Iran that had been scheduled for Monday, adding to concerns over the deteriorating regional situation.
The Houthis have also increased their activities in and around Yemen in recent days. On Friday, they reportedly seized control of an island near the entrance to the Red Sea.
That same day, a major oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia was disrupted in an attack Riyadh attributed to Iran-backed fighters in Iraq. The pipeline connects the country’s eastern and western regions and provides an important alternative route for transporting oil while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest developments have raised fresh concerns about the security of global oil supplies and the potential impact of escalating regional tensions on international energy markets.
