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🧵 The story so far Updated Sat 24 Oct

The war in Yemen

In one minute: Yemen's war is between the Houthis, an Iran-backed armed group that has controlled the north since 2014, and the internationally recognised government, which Saudi Arabia backs. A UN-brokered truce largely held from 2022. On 4 October the government launched an offensive to retake Houthi land. The Houthis answered with missiles and drones fired into Saudi Arabia, hitting Riyadh's airport and an Aramco site. The US says it may join the Saudi side.

📍 Yemen and Saudi Arabia · Yemen, Saudi Arabia
📅 What happened
  • 23 OctOver 48 hours the Houthis claim strikes on the Saudi Defence Ministry in Riyadh, Dammam and Abha airports and an Aramco site in Yanbu; two die at Dammam airport. Aramco evacuates its Dhahran headquarters and Brent rises above $114. Read it
  • 21 OctA drone attack near Saudi Aramco's Shaybah field kills two and a strike at Dammam airport kills one; the US orders some diplomats and family members out of Saudi Arabia, and Brent rises to about $110. Read it
  • 19 OctThe Houthis say they hit Aramco's Yanbu site, the Shaybah oilfield and Riyadh's airport, which Saudi authorities have not confirmed, while Brent trades near $110. Read it
Show earlier days (12)
  • 19 OctBrent crude rises above $109 after the Houthis claim attacks on Saudi airports and Aramco sites; Saudi Arabia postpones the Future Investment Initiative conference to 2027. Read it
  • 16 OctTrump says Saudi Arabia should accept Israeli help and that Saudi-Israeli normalisation could return to the agenda; Iran denies backing the Houthis and offers to mediate. Read it
  • 15 OctHouthi missiles hit the Al-Maashiq presidential palace in Aden; Yemen's health minister says five were killed and 16 wounded. The UN Security Council condemns the Houthi attacks and Riyadh's airport stays suspended. Read it
  • 14 OctThe Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh. Saudi aviation officials count at least 20 deaths and 356 injuries at airports between 6 and 11 October; the Houthi leader describes an "airports for airports" policy. Read it
  • 14 OctThe Houthis say they struck Aramco in Dhahran, and a Saudi official confirms a building was hit; Riyadh's airport stays shut to at least Saturday and an EU–Gulf summit is postponed. Read it
  • 13 OctA Houthi missile hits an Aramco office building in Dhahran, with no injuries; Saudi Arabia strikes an oil site near Sanaa. Read it
  • 11 OctAnother strike hits the airport. It closes, and Riyadh's schools move online for a week. Read it
  • 10 OctThe deadliest strike yet: at least 12 killed and about 300 wounded at Riyadh's airport. India and many other countries condemn it. Read it
  • 8 OctHouthi missiles hit Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, killing a pilot and two other Saudis. Read it
  • 4 OctThe Saudi-backed government launches the "Dawn of Yemen" offensive to retake Houthi territory, and the truce collapses.
  • 2022A UN-brokered truce begins, and largely holds for years.
  • 2014The Houthis take control of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.
👥 Who's who
The HouthisIran-backed armed group that has controlled northern Yemen, including Sanaa, since 2014.
Yemen's governmentInternationally recognised; fighting to retake Houthi territory.
Saudi ArabiaBacks the government with an air campaign; now a Houthi target.
IranBacks the Houthis; says it is ready to help the two sides talk.
The United StatesPresident Trump says the US "may" join the Saudi side.
The UNIts envoy, Hans Grundberg, called attacks on civilian airports "a grave escalation".
❓ Why now?

On 4 October the government's offensive ended a truce that had largely held since 2022. The Houthis answered with strikes on Saudi Arabia, which backs the offensive.

❓ Why does it matter to India?

Indian goods heading to Europe sail through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait, beside Yemen, and India imports much of its crude oil from the Gulf.

❓ Could it get bigger?

President Trump has said the US "may" join the Saudi side, and a Houthi leader warned of a painful response if it does. Iran says it is ready to help the two sides talk.

❓ How are people in Yemen?

The UN says more than 217,000 people have fled their homes since fighting escalated on the west coast, and the WHO says suspected cholera cases have tripled in recent weeks.

💛 If this news worries you

It's normal to feel uneasy about news like this. Diplomats, including the UN's envoy for Yemen, are working on a way back to talks, and the 2022 truce shows the fighting can stop. If someone you know lives in the region, it's fine to ask how they are.

For grown-ups: sources

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