Global oil prices jumped today after attacks in Saudi Arabia threatened to widen a Middle East conflict that has disrupted energy supplies. The Houthis, an Iran-backed militia in Yemen, claimed responsibility for strikes on Saudi airports for the second time this week. The attacks, which killed three people, were the deadliest on Saudi Arabia since the war with the Houthis reignited in recent weeks.
President Trump has rebuffed requests from the Saudi government to join the fight against the Houthis, but hundreds of U.S. intelligence and military analysts are assisting the Saudis in command centers inside the kingdom. Relatedly, tankers in the Strait of Hormuz have come under repeated attack over the last couple of weeks. Just yesterday, a tanker in waters north of Qatar was hit by “multiple projectiles,” causing casualties.
For more: The U.S. military is preparing options to restart major combat operations against Iran, though Trump said today that he would not attack before the midterm elections.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing