The Saudi-Houthi conflict is escalating sharply, with Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement claiming that Saudi warplanes carried out 40 airstrikes across Taiz, Marib and Hodeidah within 24 hours. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the strikes were carried out by Saudi F-15 fighter jets operating from Khamis Mushait Air Base. The claims come amid a wider surge in fighting across western Yemen and growing tensions around the strategically vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis have also claimed attacks on Saudi targets, including an Aramco facility in Yanbu and the Khamis Mushait air base, using ballistic missiles and drones. The group further claimed that it shot down a Saudi F-15 over Marib using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile. Saudi authorities have not publicly confirmed the F-15 claim, and independent verification of several Houthi battlefield claims remains limited.

India’s Russian oil strategy is facing a fresh challenge from Washington after the US House of Representatives passed a sweeping Russia sanctions bill that gives President Donald Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100&#37 on major buyers of Russian oil and gas. The legislation, which had already cleared the Senate, now goes to Trump for his consideration and signature. India and China are at the centre of the issue because of their significant purchases of Russian crude. For India, the stakes are particularly high. Russian crude accounted for 30.3&#37 of India’s total crude imports in FY2026, with purchases valued at around $40.8 billion, according to figures cited by the Global Trade Research Initiative. The new US legislation does not automatically impose a 100&#37 tariff on India. Instead, it gives the US president the authority to impose additional tariffs of up to 100&#37 on countries that fall within the legislation’s criteria. WATCH