Escalating hostilities between Saudi-led coalition and Houthi rebels

Tensions in the Middle East have significantly escalated as Houthi rebels launched a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia, specifically targeting the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Over the weekend, these strikes resulted in 14 deaths, and recent reports indicate a total of 18 fatalities and over 300 injuries within the past week. Saudi air defenses claim to have intercepted several ballistic missiles and drones, while Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree maintained that their strikes against critical Saudi infrastructure were successful.

In response, the Saudi-led coalition launched retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi strongholds in Sanaa, Yemen, particularly targeting oil facilities. Both sides have issued urgent evacuation warnings for civilians near oil installations, including Aramco facilities. The conflict has disrupted international air travel, with Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways suspending flights to Saudi cities.

U.S. President Donald Trump has condemned the Houthi actions, accusing them of attempting to manipulate oil prices ahead of the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. Trump hinted at potential Turkish involvement to support Saudi interests and confirmed that he has been in communication with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman regarding the situation.