Key facts
- Iranian-backed Houthis attacked multiple Saudi cities, causing casualties and damaging oil facilities.
- U.S. forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers in response to Iran's targeting of a U.S. Navy warship.
- Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on a U.S. base in Jordan.
- Jordanian air defenses intercepted most of the Iranian missiles, reporting no casualties.
- Iran threatened further attacks on oil tankers in Kuwait and Bahrain.
The Middle East conflict intensified as Iranian-backed Houthis launched strikes on several Saudi cities, wounding 73 people and damaging oil installations. In response to Iran's repeated targeting of a U.S. Navy warship, U.S. Central Command announced it had destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers.
Iran retaliated by launching a ballistic missile attack on a U.S. base near Al Azraq in Jordan. Jordan reported that its air defenses intercepted 18 of the 20 missiles launched, with no casualties. Iran also threatened to target oil tankers in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports, and a liquefied natural gas tanker was reportedly damaged in the Emirati port of Khor Fakkan.
The exchange of fire between Iran and the U.S. has driven the price of benchmark Brent crude oil to its highest level since late July. The ongoing conflict continues to disrupt shipping and energy supplies in the region, despite U.S. efforts to maintain oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz.