Sanaa, July 2026 : Fresh airstrikes targeted Houthi military positions in northern Yemen on Saturday, intensifying an already volatile security situation following the group’s recent attacks on Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea.
According to Yemen’s state-run television, the strikes focused on missile and rocket launch sites as well as weapons storage facilities in the provinces of Marib and Al-Jawf. The report claimed that several Houthi fighters, including missile specialists, were killed during the operation. However, the Houthi movement did not immediately comment on the reported attacks or the alleged casualties.
The latest military action came just hours after the Houthis announced that they had launched coordinated missile and drone attacks on Saudi energy facilities in the Jizan and Yanbu regions. In a televised address broadcast by Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV, military spokesperson Yahya Sarea claimed the strikes were carried out in retaliation for overnight coalition airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen’s Red Sea province of Hodeidah. He asserted that both operations had successfully achieved their objectives, although no supporting evidence was provided.
The exchange of attacks marks a significant escalation in hostilities after the Houthis last week declared a maritime ban on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea. The group also claimed responsibility for attacks on two Saudi oil tankers on Thursday, raising fresh concerns over the security of one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes.
On Friday, the Saudi-led coalition said it had carried out precision strikes against Houthi military infrastructure in Hodeidah while avoiding civilian facilities. In contrast, Houthi media reported that the attacks struck several locations, including telecommunications installations and Kamaran Island, where a woman was reportedly injured.
Yemen has remained embroiled in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized control of large parts of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. The takeover prompted a Saudi-led military coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government. Although a United Nations-mediated truce expired in 2022, a fragile de facto ceasefire has largely remained in place until the recent escalation.
The developments have heightened concerns about regional stability and the safety of commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Adding to the tensions, US President Donald Trump warned on Thursday that the Houthis and Iran would face “major military punishment” if attacks on commercial vessels continued. In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused the Houthis of attacking two Saudi ships and said the United States would hold Iran accountable should such incidents persist.
The latest round of strikes underscores the growing volatility in the region, with fears mounting that continued military exchanges could further disrupt international shipping lanes and widen the conflict beyond Yemen.
