The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has carried out airstrikes on what it described as Houthi military facilities in the western province of Hodeidah, accusing the Iran-aligned movement of using the sites to threaten commercial shipping.
The strikes came amid a sharp rise in tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, who have recently announced attacks on Saudi interests and threatened to impose a naval blockade on the kingdom.
Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah television reported that Saudi aircraft struck facilities belonging to Yemen’s state telecommunications corporation in Hodeidah city. The broadcaster also said Kamaran Island, off Yemen’s western coast, was targeted.
However, coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said on Saturday that Hodeidah port had not been attacked. He said all major Yemeni ports, including Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Salif, remained open to maritime traffic and continued to receive commercial vessels.
The coalition said it would continue taking measures to protect its ships and Saudi interests, warning that it would respond firmly if the Houthis continued what it called hostile actions.
Yemen’s Houthi-run foreign ministry said the strikes marked the beginning of a policy of “escalation for escalation” and held Saudi Arabia responsible for any further consequences.
Saudi Arabia fought the Houthis for seven years after intervening in Yemen in 2015, following the group’s seizure of the capital and removal of the internationally recognised government from power. A truce reached in 2022 brought an end to most large-scale fighting, but the wider conflict has continued to create serious humanitarian consequences.
The latest escalation followed a Houthi attack on a Saudi airport on July 13 and the group’s announcement of a naval blockade targeting the kingdom. The Houthis said the measures were retaliation for Saudi actions against areas under their control, while Riyadh has rejected accusations that it is imposing a siege on Yemen.
A Saudi vessel, NCC MASA, suffered minor damage to its hull in an attack in the Red Sea on Friday, according to Saudi state news agency SPA. The ship continued its journey after checks confirmed that its crew and vessel were safe.
On Saturday, the Houthis also claimed a missile attack on the southern Saudi city of Jizan. Houthi media reported fires in the city following what it described as a Yemeni missile strike. Saudi authorities briefly issued warnings to residents in Jizan and Yanbu about potential danger before lifting them.
The renewed fighting adds another flashpoint to a wider Middle East crisis that has already disrupted regional security and shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz.
