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For the first time since continuous US military operations, a night has passed in Iran without any new American airstrikes. However, simultaneously, tensions in the Middle East have escalated with missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on the southern Saudi Arabian city of Jizan.
According to Fox News live updates, after attacking two Saudi-flagged vessels in the Red Sea a few days ago, the Houthis this time launched missiles targeting Saudi Arabia’s Jizan city. In response, Saudi Arabia announced it had conducted “firm, decisive, and proportionate” military operations targeting Houthi positions inside Yemen. Saudi authorities claim these attacks were limited solely to military targets of the Iran-backed Houthi group.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that while the US is currently refraining from new airstrikes on Iran, the spread of conflict has not ceased. The Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure have raised new concerns about the security of the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Saudi air defense systems claimed to have intercepted multiple missiles.
According to analysts, while the temporary halt in US strikes opens up possibilities for diplomatic talks, the new Houthi attacks increase the risk of the Middle East conflict escalating into a broader regional war. This could also impact global energy supply and international maritime trade.