World News Brief Sunday
Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia continue with precautionary measures in Riyadh, regional tensions escalate with Iranian threats to Washington and its allies, Russian-Ukrainian strikes continue, France faces widespread violence and looting, and Europe condemned a settler attack on a European diplomatic convoy in the occupied West Bank.
Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia continue, as the Kingdom Center in Riyadh instructed its employees to work remotely, and authorities issued two brief warnings in the Riyadh region and southern parts of the country. The Saudi-led coalition announced the deaths of two pilots after their reconnaissance helicopters crashed in Najran near the Yemen border, stating a technical malfunction caused the crash, while the Houthis claimed responsibility for shooting them down. In Egypt, parliament began an emergency session after President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi declared Cairo's readiness to defend Saudi Arabia. In Iran, Mehrdad Aghaei threatened to inflict "severe damage" on the United States and its allies in the region if it resumes its military campaign against Iran, following his appointment as defense minister to replace Aziz Nasirzadeh, who was killed early in the war in February. Aghaei told journalists: "People can rest assured that they (the Americans) will most likely not dare to attack us," adding, "But if they do, they themselves and the region will suffer severe damage."