The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen are escalating attacks on Saudi Arabia. In response, the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis has responded with strikes. This is part of an escalation that has continued throughout July.
The Saudis don’t want Iran to open up an air bridge to the Houthi capital in Sana’a in Yemen, fearing the Iranians are transporting weapons and advisors.
The Houthis have claimed that unless the Saudi-led “blockade” is ended, they will attack Saudi Arabian ships transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This essentially means the Houthis are trying to shut down a key transit point the same way Iran has done with the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis threatened on Saturday to escalate attacks on Saudi Arabia amid renewed tensions between the two sides.
Al-Masirah, the Houthi-run media in Yemen, reported on their intentions. Reports quoted Mahdi al-Mashat, the Houthi chairman of the Supreme Political Council, the executive body of the Houthis, as threatening Saudi Arabia. Houthi authorities accused Saudi Arabia of attacking Sana’a Airport and sites in Hodeidah, claiming that the strikes would lead to retaliation.
Houthis announce naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabia
The Houthis said, according to Al-Masirah, they had carried out two operations against Saudi targets, including an attack using missiles and drones against Aramco facilities in Yanbu. They claimed the strikes achieved their objectives. The group also announced that a naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabia would remain in effect.
Houthi officials portrayed the escalation as a response to what they describe as a Saudi blockade and violations of Yemeni sovereignty. The group warned that it could expand its military operations based on what it called a policy of “blockade for blockade” and “escalation for escalation.”
The statements signal a potential return to direct Houthi-Saudi confrontation after several years of relative de-escalation and ceasefire.
The threats come as the internationally recognized Yemeni government and the Saudi-backed coalition appear to be willing to respond and increase pressure on the Houthis. Yemeni pro-government state television reported that airstrikes targeted Houthi reinforcements and military infrastructure in Marib and Al-Jawf. The strikes reportedly hit missile launch platforms, a Katyusha rocket launch site and weapons depots in several districts.
Yemeni government strikes Houthi missile and drone sites
Al-Ain media in the UAE noted that Yemeni government military officials said government aircraft carried out strikes against Houthi missile and drone launch sites and weapons storage facilities. The attacks were described as among the first offensive air operations conducted by the Yemeni government against the Houthis. Reports also claimed that several Houthi personnel, including missile-launch experts, were killed.
The strikes reportedly extended to areas close to the front lines in Al-Jawf, raising questions about whether the operations could precede a broader ground offensive. Al-Ain also noted that the strikes came shortly after Saudi-led coalition aircraft struck Houthi military targets in Hodeidah province following renewed threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
The Saudi-led coalition said the strikes focused on Houthi military capabilities linked to attacks on shipping and stressed that Hodeidah port itself was not targeted. Saudi Arabia had previously reported that an oil tanker belonging to a Saudi company was attacked in the Red Sea.
The developments illustrate how rapidly the confrontation could expand. The Houthis have announced a maritime “blockade” targeting Saudi Arabia at the same time that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted by the wider conflict between Iran and the United States. This potentially links renewed fighting in Yemen to the broader regional confrontation involving Iran, Gulf states and critical maritime trade routes.
After years of relative calm following the UN-brokered truce of 2022, the combination of Houthi missile and drone attacks, strikes on shipping and renewed government and coalition air operations means Yemen is entering a new phase of conflict.
