Houthis Launch Missile and Drone Strikes on Saudi Arabia in Retaliation for Recent Attacks

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have announced that they launched a series of missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia in retaliation for recent Saudi attacks on the city of Hodeida, Yemen.

According to a statement posted on X by Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the group’s spokesperson, the Houthis launched two military operations in response to the Saudi aggression. The first operation targeted sensitive Aramco-affiliated facilities in Jizan with dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, while the second operation targeted sensitive Aramco-affiliated facilities in Yanbu with a number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones.

Aramco is the Saudi Arabian state-owned oil company. Saree stated that both operations successfully achieved their objectives thanks to Allah Almighty, with accurate and direct strikes.

Escalation Between Houthis and Saudis Continues

This latest escalation between the two countries comes after the Houthis claimed responsibility for two attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea with missiles and drones. They have also said they have blocked the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula from the Strait of Hormuz. This strait is the gateway between the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea, and blockades of both straits would cut off Saudi Arabian ships entirely.

The Saudis and the Houthis have been in an effective cease-fire since 2022. However, tensions recently flared when the Houthis accused the Saudis of striking the airport in Yemen’s capital Sanaa. The spat came from a dispute when an Iranian plane had tried to land at the airport.

Saudi Arabia on Friday hit the Houthi-held port city of Hodeida with strikes, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said. The attacks were in response to the Houthi hits on oil tankers.

According to Al Masirah television, which is run by the Houthis, the strikes from Saudi Arabia targeted facilities that belong to the state telecommunications corporation and Kamaran Island. It said one worker in Hodeida was injured, and a woman was injured on the island, Deutsche Welle reported.

US President Trump Weighs in on the Situation

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said his administration would ‘hold Iran responsible’ for any Houthi attacks on ships. Trump stated that the Houthis are a ‘Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran’ and that major military punishment would be inflicted upon Iran and the Houthis themselves if they continued their hostile acts.

Trump’s statement comes as the situation in the region continues to escalate. The US has a long-standing relationship with Saudi Arabia, and the US president’s comments suggest that the US is taking a strong stance against Iranian involvement in the conflict.

As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the conflict between the Houthis and the Saudis has reached a boiling point, and it remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved.