Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement exchanged fresh attacks on Thursday along their shared border, as escalating conflict in the region forced many Yemenis to flee by sea. The continuing hostilities between the two sides have heightened concerns over global oil supply disruptions amid broader Middle East tensions.
Houthi-controlled media reported Saudi airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Hajjah province near the border and areas around Taiz city further inland. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s civil defense confirmed the first fatality in its territory since recent clashes intensified, reporting that a Yemeni resident in Taif was killed by debris from an intercepted Houthi drone. More than 80 others had been wounded in similar attacks, Riyadh said.
The fighting has displaced thousands of Yemenis, with many attempting perilous journeys across the Red Sea to escape rising violence. In Djibouti, Wahida Omer, a 50-year-old from the Yemeni village of Dhubab, described fleeing by small boat over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after her community came under attack during the Houthi offensive. She recounted the traumatic journey, marked by fear, hunger, and sorrow, while her husband remained behind, his fate unknown.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that over 100,000 Yemenis have been displaced since the recent escalation, primarily within Yemen. The Houthis have rapidly taken control of Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastal region in recent days. The group has accused the Saudi Air Force of launching hundreds of airstrikes in response, while continuing to fire missiles and drones into Saudi territory.
On Wednesday, the Houthis claimed to have downed a Saudi F-15 fighter jet. Video footage released by the group showed armed fighters at the crash site, holding a piece of the aircraft wing bearing Saudi insignia and chanting religious slogans. Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi issued a televised message demanding an end to what he called Saudi “blockade and occupation” of Yemen and condemned their military actions. Behind him, banners displayed hostile slogans against the United States, Israel, and Jews.
The conflict’s expansion threatens to aggravate the existing global energy supply challenges, which intensified after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year. While crude oil prices eased slightly on Thursday, they remain above $100 per barrel, after having reached their highest levels since May. Fuel prices for consumers have surged even more sharply; in the United States, the average retail diesel price set a record near $6.40 per gallon on Thursday.
Despite Saudi Arabia’s appeals, U.S. President Donald Trump has refrained from providing direct military assistance against the Houthis. Trump expressed cautious optimism about the conflict’s trajectory, suggesting that Iran may seek a deal to resolve broader tensions. However, no new negotiations between Washington and Tehran have occurred since an interim agreement in June collapsed shortly after it was reached.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy continues to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint along Iran’s coast crucial for global oil and natural gas shipments, and enforces a blockade on Iranian ports, adding further complexity to the regional security landscape.