Middle East Conflict Escalates as Houthis Attack Saudi Cities, US Strikes Iranian Tankers, and Oil Prices Rise

The conflict in the Middle East has intensified, with Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen launching strikes on multiple Saudi cities, reportedly wounding 73 people and setting oil installations ablaze. In response, the U.S. military's Central Command announced it destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers, citing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeting a U.S. Navy warship. Iran retaliated with a ballistic missile attack on a U.S. base in Jordan. This escalation has led to global oil prices rising above $100 a barrel for the first time since July.