Houthi strikes on Saudi military targets fuel fears of wider Yemen conflict

The Middle East war is widening as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels launch a spate of attacks on United States’ allies and close yet another key shipping waterway.

Iran-backed Houthi forces are once again drawing attention to Yemen's Marib front, with reports of missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi-backed forces.

The attacks killed 20 fighters of Iraqi armed groups, including five Iranians.

The Yemeni government’s counteroffensive follows a rapid escalation that began two days ago, when the Houthis struck military positions in the oil and gas-rich provinces of Marib and Hadramout, killing at least 17 soldiers.