Houthi Attacks on Saudi Oil Sites Injure 73; UK to Ban Settlement Goods
Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia wounded 73 and hit oil facilities. Separately, the UK plans to ban goods from Israeli settlements.
A wave of drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels struck civilian and economic targets across southern Saudi Arabia early Tuesday, wounding at least 73 people and setting fires at several oil and utility installations.
The Saudi-led coalition said the strikes hit cities including Abha, Jazan, Najran, and Khamis Mushait. The Saudi Energy Ministry confirmed that operations at some oil facilities were temporarily halted due to the fires.
The assault marks a sharp escalation in the conflict between the Iranian-backed Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition, ending a fragile four-year truce in Yemen's civil war. The renewed fighting raises concerns for regional stability and global energy supplies, particularly as it threatens shipping lanes near the Bab al-Mandeb strait.
In a separate development, the United Kingdom is preparing to ban imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to announce the measure in Parliament, citing the expansion of settlements as a threat to a future Palestinian state.
British officials clarified that the ban is not a blanket boycott of Israeli goods. The move follows the UK's recognition of Palestinian statehood last year and reflects growing international pressure on Israel's settlement policies, which are widely seen as illegal under international law.