Cairo: Houthi attacks ignited fires at several oil facilities and utilities in Saudi Arabia's southern region Tuesday and wounded more than 70 people, Saudi authorities said.

Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, said the attacks hit “civilian and economic facilities” in the Saudi cities.

The wave of Houthi attacks was a major escalation in the renewed conflict between an important US ally and the Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen.

The kingdom's Energy Ministry said operations at the oil facilities and utilities were temporarily suspended.