Houthi forces in Yemen have claimed responsibility for a missile and drone attack on a military base in southern Saudi Arabia, amid intensified fighting along Yemen's Red Sea coast. The assault targeted the Sharurah base, with the Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stating the strike hit weapons depots and command centers managing operations against their forces. The specific date of the attack was not disclosed.
Saudi civil defense authorities reported that a projectile landed in the al-Tuwal governorate near the Yemeni border along the Red Sea, injuring two individuals and damaging a mosque and other structures. Riyadh attributed the attack to the Houthis.
The escalation follows a significant Houthi offensive launched earlier this month, which saw the group capture key locations including the strategic port city of Mocha and islands in the Bab al-Mandab strait—a critical maritime corridor serving as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. This strait is vital for global oil shipments, especially amid ongoing Iranian blockades of the Strait of Hormuz in response to US and Israeli actions against Tehran.
Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, have countered with airstrikes targeting Houthi positions in Mocha and the Taiz region. The Yemeni military reported three airstrikes on Houthi barracks and declared intentions to reclaim territory along the Red Sea coast. Sultan al-Arada, a member of Yemen’s ruling presidential council and governor of the Marib governorate, described the retreat of government forces from the west coast as “painful and regrettable” but asserted that forces are regrouping and preparing to reengage.
The United Nations has reported that nearly 86,000 Yemenis have fled their homes since early September amid the offensive, contributing to the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country. Casualty figures from both sides indicate more than 500 fatalities in recent clashes.
The conflict’s regional dimension has drawn international attention, with reports that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman contacted former US President Donald Trump twice last week requesting US strikes against the Houthis. Trump acknowledged the calls but did not confirm any planned military response, stating that “everything’s gonna work out fine and dandy.”
Iran, which the United Nations and several sources allege provides direct military guidance to the Houthis through its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, denies involvement beyond political support. State media in Iran reported that an Iranian commercial vessel was hit near Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in one death and several injuries. Iranian authorities blamed a “terrorist enemy,” while the United States has previously targeted Iranian-flagged ships amid ongoing maritime tensions.
Further reports indicated multiple explosions around Qeshm Island, a strategic Iranian territory controlling access to the strait, along with a projectile hitting another vessel transiting the corridor. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre confirmed a fire aboard that ship and initiated evacuation of personnel.
The renewed violence threatens vital energy supply routes and intensifies an already complex proxy conflict involving Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and their respective allies.