The Houthis, an Iran-backed terror proxy, targeted four cities in southern Saudi Arabia with missiles and drones on Tuesday.
73 Injured in Saudi Arabia
U.S. Air Force Capt. Nick “Laz” Le Tourneau, pilot and commander of the F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team, performs an aerial demonstration during the 52nd Annual SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, April 18, 2026. Capt. Le Tourneau showcased the unmatched capabilities of the F-22 to the SUN ‘n FUN crowds by performing multiple series of combat maneuvers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary Bowers)
F-22 Raptor Flying in the Dark Clouds. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
73 people were reportedly wounded in the attack, the largest Houthi barrage since the start of the U.S.-Iran war in February.
According to the Saudi authorities, women and children were among the casualties when the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran were hit.
Reuters said Houthi terrorists targeted a Saudi airbase in Khamis Mushait, along with facilities owned by state oil giant Saudi Aramco in the other three cities.
The Shia extremist group has been accused of using child soldiers.
Its Arabic-language slogan translates as, “God is the Greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse be upon the Jews, Victory to Islam.”
Saudi-led coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said via social media: “The coalition will take all necessary operational measures to deter this terrorist militia and resolutely confront its hostile approach.”
Riyadh’s Foreign Ministry also said that the kingdom had the “legitimate right to take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty.”
The Saudi Energy Ministry reported fires at several facilities and said emergency services briefly halted some operations while tackling the blazes.
Brent Crude Rises Again
Brent crude surged toward $100 a barrel on Tuesday as traders scrambled to respond to yet more disruption in the region’s energy exports.
The Houthis said they launched “dozens of ballistic missiles and drones” in what their military described as a broad operation on Saudi soil.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree accused Riyadh of escalating the conflict through airstrikes in Yemen and warned that “every aggression against our country and people will be met with a firm response.”
The Houthis had accused Saudi Arabia of having carried out over 100 airstrikes in Yemen over the previous three days. Saudi-led forces have not confirmed that figure.
Nasr al-Din Amer, a member of the Houthi terror group’s politburo, said the group’s “ongoing, in-depth response” was “much broader” than what had appeared on social media.
The attacks are placing an increasingly important route at risk while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains heavily disrupted.
Houthis Terrorize Saudi Backup Routes
Riyadh has now reportedly rerouted most of its crude through the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
The Houthis have meanwhile declared a blockade of Saudi shipping in the Red Sea and are fighting Saudi-backed forces in western Yemen near Bab al-Mandab, the narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Houthi forces said they would maintain a “siege-for-siege” policy until what they describe as Saudi aggression and blockade measures end.
Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group told CNN that Houthi territorial gains near Bab al-Mandab could also serve Tehran’s interests.
“That would benefit Iran as well,” Vaez said, because it could apply pressure not only at Hormuz but “also Bab al-Mandeb.”
Prior to the current conflict, around one-fifth of global oil shipments passed through Hormuz, according to Reuters. Tehran is now also threatening to impose a “maritime exclusion zone” in the strait and around the Gulf, which would likely continue to disrupt traffic.
Iran Complains About ‘Economic Warfare’
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, wrote on X that “economic warfare will be met by a maritime exclusion zone” and said Tehran’s posture toward U.S. warships and bases had been “fundamentally recalibrated.”
After a 2022 truce, the Saudi-Houthi conflict had largely been frozen. However, back in July, the Houthis resumed attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting shipping linked to Riyadh in the Red Sea.
Within Yemen itself, fighting has ramped up. The International Organization for Migration now estimates that over 18,500 people fled their homes along the country’s west coast in the last three days.
It is not only the countries in the region suffering the consequences, particularly on the economic front.
U.S. diesel prices have reached a record average higher than $5.90 per gallon.
U.S. President Donald Trump has stressed that the pressure will recede once the United States prevails against Iran, although it is increasingly unclear if and when a peace deal will emerge, and whether it will satisfy Washington’s demands.
“Oil prices will drop precipitously when we WIN the war with Iran,” Trump wrote to his Truth Social platform.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
