Iran-backed Houthi rebels have pledged retaliation against Saudi Arabia following accusations that the kingdom targeted civilian infrastructure, intensifying the Middle East conflict. The escalation follows Saudi airstrikes on Houthi military targets in Hodeida, which the rebels claim resulted in casualties and preceded their announcement of a maritime blockade against the major oil producer.
The recent flare-up marks a new dimension to the regional war, which has seen increased tensions following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tehran in February. This development occurs alongside Iran's existing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia's primary maritime oil transport route. The Houthi Ansarollah media stated on Telegram that the "Saudi enemy's targeting of civilian facilities in Hodeida and Kamaran island constitutes a dangerous escalation," vowing that "these recent crimes will not go unanswered."
A Yemeni security source confirmed to AFP that Saudi targets included a naval base in Hodeida and a military camp on Kamaran island. The Saudi-led coalition, however, asserted that the strikes were a response to Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, aimed at destroying targets threatening commercial vessels. The coalition spokesperson, Turki al-Maliki, stated on X that the "terrorist Houthi military... targeted commercial ships in the Red Sea," and that the coalition "carried out a decisive and strong response" which is now concluded.
Residents in Hodeida reported hearing explosions near the port. The Houthi-run al-Masirah television reported two individuals wounded: a worker in Hodeida and a woman on Kamaran island. A telecommunications building in Hodeida was also reportedly hit. This exchange follows a Houthi warning earlier in the week to target vessels belonging to the "Saudi enemy" that did not adhere to their blockade. Saudi state media confirmed that a vessel belonging to a Saudi company sustained minor hull damage in the Red Sea, but has since resumed its course.
The Red Sea has become a critical route for Saudi oil shipments, particularly as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz faces disruption. Data indicates that a significant majority of Saudi seaborne crude exports have departed from its Red Sea port of Yanbu in recent months. The conflict in Yemen, ongoing since 2014 between the Houthi movement and the internationally recognized government, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and threatens to undermine a 2022 truce.
