Houthi attacks hit Saudi energy sites as regional conflict escalates

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants launched their heaviest aerial assault on Saudi Arabia in years on Tuesday, 8 September, wounding 73 civilians and striking energy infrastructure in the kingdom’s southern provinces. The escalation, which triggered fires and forced temporary operational halts at several facilities, marks the effective collapse of a 2022 truce that had largely frozen the conflict for four years. Energy markets react to infrastructure strikes The strikes targeted critical energy nodes at a time of heightened global sensitivity. Brent crude prices climbed to $99 a barrel following the reports, the highest level recorded since late July. Riyadh has vowed to take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty, as the Houthis simultaneously announced a blockade on Saudi-linked shipping. The surge in violence follows the unauthorized landing of an Iranian aircraft in Houthi-controlled Sanaa in July, an event that triggered retaliatory strikes and ended the period of relative calm. Battle for Red Sea chokepoints The cross-border escalation coincides with a massive Houthi ground offensive within Yemen aimed at the Bab Al Mandab strait. According to an AFP tally based…