WASHINGTON — Signs that the conflict involving the United States, Iran and its regional allies is widening have emerged after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, while Iran accused Ukraine of striking one of its commercial vessels in the Caspian Sea.
The Houthis said they targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in the Red Sea cities of Jizan and Yanbu, with reports indicating damage to fuel storage sites. Greek security sources said two ballistic missiles aimed at Yanbu were intercepted by a Patriot missile defense system.
Iran said an attack on one of its commercial vessels in the Caspian Sea killed one crew member and wounded another, prompting Tehran to summon Ukraine’s envoy to lodge a formal protest. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged long-range strikes against vessels carrying military cargo but did not identify their nationality.
The U.S. military said its naval blockade of Iran remains in place despite pausing a 13-day campaign of nightly airstrikes. A senior Trump administration official said President Donald Trump continued to favor a diplomatic solution while warning Iran of consequences if negotiations fail.
Meanwhile, Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces carried out airstrikes on Houthi positions in Marib and Al-Jawf provinces as both sides reinforced front-line positions, raising concerns that Yemen’s civil war could intensify despite a ceasefire that had largely held since 2022.
Analysts warn that continued Houthi attacks could threaten commercial shipping through the Red Sea and disrupt global oil supplies, increasing pressure on international energy markets and heightening tensions across the Middle East.
