US backs Saudi strikes in Yemen as tensions rise with Iran

President Donald Trump gave explicit approval for Saudi Arabia to conduct air strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen during a phone call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The sanction led to Saudi jets bombing Sana'a’s international airport, prompting Houthi drone and missile attacks on Saudi facilities, including the Abha airport.

At the same time, the United States intensified its own campaign against Iranian targets, carrying out a third consecutive night of air raids on Iranian military sites across the region. Iranian forces responded with attacks on U.S. installations in Bahrain and launched missiles at two United Arab Emirates tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, killing an Indian sailor and injuring eight crew members. The U.S. also reinstated restrictions on Iranian port traffic and announced a 20% levy on oil shipments through the strait. More than 50,000 American troops remain deployed in the Middle East as the situation escalates.