It's been a week since Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels stormed down the Red Sea coast, extending their reach to a key maritime chokepoint and threatening Saudi Arabia's oil exports. The Houthis' biggest land grab in years reignited Yemen's 12-year civil war and pushed up global fuel prices.

A pickup truck with a portrait of a fighter loyal to the Houthis during his funeral in Yemen's capital Sanaa, September 17, 2026. [AFP] United States officials met Houthi representatives at the US embassy in the Omani capital,

By Timour Azhari, Alexander Cornwell, Gram Slattery and Humeyra Pamuk Sept 16 (Reuters) - ⁠US ⁠officials met representatives of Yemen's Houthis in Oman ⁠over the weekend, five sources familiar with the matter said,

This month, Yemen's 12-year-old civil war again exploded as the Iran-backed Houthi rebels swept down the country's west coast.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who are now advancing on a key maritime checkpoint and striking Saudi oil facilities, have been at war for years.

By Nayera Abdallah, Yomna Ehab and Hatem Maher DUBAI/CAIRO, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis exchanged ⁠fresh ⁠strikes across their border on Thursday and Yemenis took to ⁠boats in the Red Sea to escape fighting,

Iran-backed Houthi fighters pose next to a captured vehicle following what the source described as an attack on Saudi-backed forces

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the strike as a "heinous" attack. Mecca is Islam's holiest site and the focal point of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Muslim nations are condemning an attempted drone attack on Mecca as Saudi Arabia says that Islam's holiest city is a “red line” for the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia faces the biggest threat to its oil production since 1932 as Houthis launch attacks near the Red Sea's Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an expert says.