Houthis
The Iran-backed Yemen Houthis said they attacked airports and military facilities in Saudi Arabia. Getty Images

Oil prices are climbing on Wednesday after Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed to target airports and military sites in Saudi Arabia.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, gained 1.16% and clocked in at $101.75 a barrel at 8:40 a.m. ET, while West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, climbed almost 1% and stood above $90 a barrel at the same time.

The Iran-backed group said it launched ballistic missiles and drones against King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. While Flightradar24 noted that flights were briefly disrupted, no damages were reported at the facility.

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Riyadh has been aiding the internationally-recognized Yemeni government in its counteroffensive against the Houthis. The alliance recently claimed it retook territory seized a month ago along the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a key waterway through which 12% of the world's oil passes.

The Houthis earlier this year imposed an embargo of Saudi oil and have been seeking to prevent its ships from transiting the strait. They have also been targeting facilities in the country.

The Yemeni government declared a general mobilization in late September, with head of Yemen's presidential council Rashad al-Alimi calling on people to rally around the government. He also offered amnesty to Houthi fighters defecting.

He also said that operations won't focus on Houthi-controlled areas with large civilian populations, like Sanaa and Hodeida. Al-Alimi, however, urged residents to stay away from Houthi positions and refrain from having children recruited to fight on behalf of the group.

Tens of thousands of ground troops are taking part in the offensive, with Saudi Arabia providing aerial support. And while Riyadh has been calling on the U.S. to provide material support, Washington has so far refrained from doing so, for now providing intelligence and targeting support.

Clashes have also been reported elsewhere in Yemen, including the town of Dhubab, south of the port city of Mokha, which was also seized by the Houthis last month. According to the United Nations, about 1,000 people have been killed in the latest bout of fighting, while hundreds of thousands have been displaced.