Iran-backed Houthi rebels have issued a vow to retaliate against Saudi Arabia following an escalation in the regional conflict. The announcement came on Saturday after the Houthis accused the kingdom of striking civilian infrastructure in Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition confirmed it executed operations against Houthi sites, asserting that these actions were necessary to destroy targets threatening commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
Military strikes were carried out on Friday in the port city of Hodeida and on Kamaran island. A Yemeni security source identified the targets as a naval base in Hodeida and a military camp on Kamaran. The Houthis’ Ansarollah media outlet stated on Telegram that the targeting of civilian facilities constituted a dangerous escalation and affirmed that the recent actions would not go unanswered. Rebel media reported two people were wounded during the strikes.
Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki stated via X that the military response was a decisive action against Houthi forces that had been threatening Red Sea shipping lanes. He noted that the military operation has concluded. The strikes followed Houthi claims of attacks on two Saudi ships earlier in the week, with Saudi Arabia confirming one such incident in the Red Sea. This flare-up adds a new dimension to the widening conflict, which also includes an ongoing blockade of the strait of Hormuz by Iran.
Meanwhile, the broader regional situation remains volatile. US President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he has not yet made a decision regarding potential major strikes on Iran, noting that Tehran appears to be getting more serious in ongoing talks. Trump also stated he trusts assertions from President Xi of China and President Putin of Russia that they are not arming Iran.
Military tensions have continued to rise across the region. The US military reported that it fired on another merchant vessel, the M/T Lavine, in the Gulf of Oman after the ship attempted to breach a blockade of Iranian ports. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, confirmed the vessel was disabled after failing to comply with warnings. In Iraq, security officials reported that US-led forces shot down five explosives-laden drones near the airport in Irbil. Furthermore, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed to have targeted a US base in Udairi, Kuwait, and a US Navy watchtower in Bahrain, while authorities in Bahrain and Jordan reported intercepting aerial attacks. US embassies in the region have warned American citizens that departure options may become limited as the conflict intensifies.
