A coalition led by Saudi Arabia carried out strikes on 24 July against military targets belonging to the pro-Iranian Houthi group (Ansar Allah) in the province of Hodeidah in western Yemen, according to Reuters. The Saudi side claims that these facilities were being used to threaten commercial shipping.
Al-Masirah TV, a channel linked to the Houthis, reported that the strikes targeted facilities belonging to the state telecommunications corporation in the city of Hodeidah and on the island of Kamaran in the Red Sea.
A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, Turki al-Maliki, stated that the port of Hodeidah was not the target of the attack and that the Yemeni ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Salif remain open to commercial vessels. The coalition promised an “uncompromising” response should the Houthi attacks continue.
This latest escalation followed a Houthi attack on a Saudi airport on 13 July and their announcement of a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia. The Houthis opened fire on a Saudi vessel in the Red Sea.
On the morning of 25 July, the Houthis reported a retaliatory strike on targets in Saudi Arabia. Telegram channels controlled by the Houthis reported missile strikes on the city of Jizan – a port on the Red Sea. Strikes on oil infrastructure targets were also reported. Riyadh has so far neither confirmed nor denied this.
Access to the Red Sea has become critically important for Saudi Arabia’s economy following the disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz caused by the conflict between Iran and the US. The Houthis, who control western Yemen, announced a ‘blockade’ of the Red Sea for Saudi vessels on Monday.
Since 2015, the Riyadh-led coalition has been involved in a war against the Houthis, who seized Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, and overthrew the internationally recognised government. A ceasefire was agreed in 2022, which had remained in force until recently.