Houthis fire missiles at Saudi Arabia as oil prices rise

Yemen's Houthi group fired at least six ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia this week. The targets included the city of Taif and an oil terminal at Yanbu. Saudi air defenses stopped all the missiles before they could hit.

The Houthis, who receive support from Iran, have recently taken control of Yemen's western coast along the Red Sea. They now hold the port of Mocha and several islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This strait is one of the world's most important shipping routes, because about seven percent of global oil passes through it.

The recent fighting has killed more than 700 people and forced nearly 130,000 Yemenis to leave their homes. Global oil prices rose to a one-week high after the missile attack.