Dramatic recent advances by the Iran-backed Houthis, including the se...

The story

Houthi forces have launched a series of missile and drone strikes targeting Saudi Arabia, marking the most significant escalation in the conflict over the weekend. The attacks come as the Iran-backed militia continues to capture key territory along Yemen's western coast.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for targeting a sensitive site in the Saudi capital as well as an oil facility along the Red Sea. Although the kingdom has not officially confirmed what was hit, video footage showed a thick plume of black smoke rising near the main airport in Riyadh.

The Saudi-led coalition reported that it intercepted an incoming missile heading toward Riyadh. The exchange highlights a sharp increase in hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the militia group, which is backed, funded, and equipped by Iran.

On the ground in Yemen, Houthi forces have continued their advance, capturing territory along the west coast near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The passage is a critical waterway for international commercial shipping and a key corridor used by Saudi Arabia to export its oil amid ongoing issues further north in the Strait of Hormuz.