Houthi Forces Launch Intense Attacks on Saudi Arabia, U.S. Claims to Have Destroyed Iranian Oil Tanker, Middle East "Two-Front War" Escalates Simultaneously

[Global Times Special Correspondent in Saudi Arabia, Ren Haoyu, Qi Rong] On the 8th, the spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, Maliki, stated that the Houthi armed forces in Yemen launched attacks on civilian and economic facilities in Saudi cities such as Abha, Jazan, and Najran, resulting in 73 civilian injuries. According to a statement released by the Houthi armed forces on the same day, the organization used "dozens of ballistic missiles and drones" to attack facilities of Saudi Aramco and targets such as King Khalid Air Base. Reuters reported that the Iran-backed Houthi armed forces launched attacks on several Saudi cities, further entangling a key U.S. ally in hostile actions. Meanwhile, amid escalating tensions, the U.S. announced on the 8th that after Iran attacked U.S. naval vessels, U.S. forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers that day. In retaliation, Iran conducted attacks on U.S. bases located in Jordan. According to AFP, Brent crude oil futures surpassed $100 per barrel on the 9th, reaching the highest level since the end of July.

U.S. media: Saudi Arabia and the Houthis may be dragged into full-scale war again

Maliki stated on the 8th that the Houthi armed forces' attacks blatantly violate Saudi sovereignty and pose a direct threat to the safety of the Saudi people. The coalition will take all necessary measures to deter the Houthi armed forces in Yemen and respond resolutely.

The Houthi armed forces claimed on the 8th that the attacks caused "significant damage" to targeted facilities in Saudi Arabia. The organization mentioned that Saudi Arabia had launched 121 airstrikes on Yemen in the past three days, and this military strike was a response to Saudi Arabia's sharply escalating military actions. European news outlets reported on the 8th that this was the "most intense attack" by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia in years.

According to AFP on the 9th, the Houthi-controlled Masirah TV reported that in the past few hours, Saudi warplanes had conducted 32 airstrikes on four provinces in Yemen.

Why has the situation escalated at this time? Al Jazeera reported on the 8th that one of the focal points of the conflict is the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. In July of this year, the Houthi armed forces announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia. The organization has also advanced to the surrounding areas of the Yemeni port city of Mocha and along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Analysts believe that this strait plays a crucial role in the overall strategy of the Houthi armed forces. Additionally, the escalation of tensions is also related to an Iranian passenger plane carrying a Houthi delegation attempting to land in Yemen's capital, Sana'a, in July. The New York Times stated that the latest escalation could drag Saudi Arabia and the Houthis back into full-scale war.

Iran attacks U.S. naval vessels, both sides hold differing views

Saudi political analyst Batrafi wrote on the 8th that the escalation of the situation in Yemen comes at a time of heightened regional turmoil, with the shadow of U.S.-Iran confrontation looming over the Gulf and Red Sea regions, increasing the likelihood of regions related to Iran becoming tools of mutual pressure.

The U.S. Central Command announced on the 8th that in the past two days, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had twice used ballistic missiles to attack a U.S. Navy ship. The ship evaded the Iranian attacks and continued its patrol mission, with no U.S. personnel injured. The U.S. stated that in response to these unsuccessful attacks by Iran, U.S. forces destroyed four oil tankers belonging to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Gulf of Oman and destroyed another oil tanker near Khark Island.

According to Al Jazeera on the 9th, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that it had launched a "fierce missile attack" on a U.S. military base located in Azraq, Jordan, destroying the hangar used by U.S. warplanes. The Revolutionary Guard also claimed to have struck two U.S. Navy destroyers, causing "significant damage." In a subsequent statement, Iran claimed that its naval forces attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Middle East. It is unclear whether these two U.S. vessels are the same targets mentioned in the statement regarding the destroyers.

The Wall Street Journal reported on the 8th that according to U.S. sources, Iran's attacks on U.S. naval vessels have all failed since last Friday. However, sources indicated that some attacks nearly succeeded. International Crisis Group analyst Aziz wrote on social media that Iran has repeatedly attempted to attack U.S. naval vessels, and the "quality and quantity" of missiles fired at U.S. targets in the Middle East are continuously improving, indicating that "the situation is gradually escalating."

"U.S. arrogance has plunged the Middle East into a quagmire"

Al Jazeera quoted Middle East analyst Zakaria as saying that Iran and the U.S. currently seem uninterested in returning to the negotiating table, "Both sides claim that if they are attacked, they will not stop retaliating. We are caught in this endless cycle of tit-for-tat."

"U.S. arrogance has plunged the Middle East into a quagmire." Saudi Arabia News Network stated on the 8th that the U.S. government remains obstinate, despite this stubbornness costing it heavily in material terms and severely damaging its geopolitical influence. Washington's power and position in the Middle East are rapidly declining, and this decline may have broader ripple effects. The article argues that the current predicament of the U.S. cannot be explained solely by poor military planning or simply attributed to "underestimating Iran"; the deeper reason lies in "Washington's attempt to impose an outdated regional dominance model on a Middle East and world that have fundamentally changed."