What to know as the fighting in Yemen escalates while US-Iran tensions remain high

CAIRO -- Saudi Arabia and Yemen's government have launched a military campaign to drive Iran-backed Houthi rebels from the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a critical trade route for oil and other goods.The Houthis have responded by escalating missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, claiming to have struck the international airport in the capital, Riyadh, an Aramco refinery and Saudi military bases. They have also advanced around a city in western Yemen that has been a major battleground in the 12-year civil war.The worst fighting in Yemen in years comes as tensions remain high between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. and Gulf nations have largely restored oil exports despite Iran's monthslong disruption of the Strait of Hormuz. But U.S. President Donald Trump has warned he might resume full-scale military operations after the U.S. congressional elections in November, and Iran could be planning proxy attacks.The price of Brent crude was hovering around $100 per barrel on Tuesday, compared to roughly $70 a barrel before the Iran war, as the price of basic goods remains elevated far beyond the Middle East.Yemen's conflict has had a devastating impact on the Arab world's poorest country.Houthi reb...