Iran-backed Houthi terrorists based in Yemen have attacked critical oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, a regional ally of the United States, marking a significant escalation of the Iran war.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have launched multiple attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. 📺 DETAIL: On Tuesday, oil facilities and utilities were hit following a series of strikes conducted by the Iran-backed Houthis, who control Yemen’s major population centers, in the south of Saudi Arabia and at the mouth of the Red Sea. The strikes injured over 70 people. The ensuing fires at the oil sites forced shutdowns and disrupted operations. The strikes targeted oil facilities connected with a vital shipping route connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, off the southern coast of Yemen. The shipping route is used by Saudi Arabia as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which remains blockaded by Iran. The Houthis also hit “civilian and economic facilities” in Saudi cities, according to Major General Turki al-Malki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen. 🎯 IMPACT: The recent escalation highlights the ongoing threat posed by the Houthis to U.S. regional allies, such as Saudi Arabia, and shipping in the region. The decision of the Houthis to specifically attack oil facilities associated with a vital shipping route demonstrates how Iran and its allies aim to amplify the economic costs of the Iran war. These attacks underscore the vulnerabilities of Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure. This comes almost two months after the Islamic Republic of Iran directed the Houthis to block the Red Sea in order to further clamp down on international shipping. “Anybody with a firing rifle can interrupt the shipping. You don’t have to have sophisticated missiles to interrupt the shipping,” said a source close to the Houthis at the time. These recent strikes by the Houthis further underscore the short-sightedness of the Biden government’s decision to de-prioritize the group as a threat to U.S. interests. |
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