The Iran-backed Houthi movement vowed to retaliate against Saudi Arabia on Saturday, July 25, 2026, after accusing the kingdom of attacking civilian infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia’s strikes on Houthi military targets in the Yemeni port city of Hodeida on Friday marked the opening of a new front in a conflict that has engulfed the Middle East for months.
According to The Guardian, the Saudi-led coalition said the strikes targeted Houthi military facilities used to threaten commercial vessels in the Red Sea, in response to Houthi attacks on two Saudi ships earlier this week.
Saudi Arabia confirmed that one of the two attacks had indeed struck one of its vessels.
The coalition stated that its military response had concluded after the designated targets were destroyed.
Through its Ansarollah media outlet, the Houthis described the Saudi strikes on facilities in Hodeida and Kamaran Island as a dangerous escalation.
The group asserted that the attacks would not go unanswered.
Escalating Regional Conflict
The latest escalation adds another layer of complexity to a conflict that already involves multiple parties.
Previously, the Houthis had announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia after targeting Riyadh’s vessels.
Meanwhile, Iran continues to enforce its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, the only other maritime route available to Saudi Arabia.
On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he had not yet decided whether to launch a large-scale military strike against Iran, while noting that Tehran had become increasingly serious in its talks with Washington.
His remarks came after The New York Times reported that Trump had met with senior advisers to discuss the possibility of a major military operation against Iran, while Axios quoted the president as saying he was considering a “massive strike.”
Conflict Spreads Across the Region
The conflict has continued to spread to multiple areas across the region.
U.S.-led forces stationed in Erbil, northern Iraq, shot down five explosive-laden drones on Friday.
The U.S. military also disabled the tanker M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel allegedly attempted four times to breach the blockade of Iranian ports.
The ship’s crew had reportedly been warned but failed to comply with orders before the U.S. military fired at the vessel’s engine room.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for targeting the U.S. base at Udairi in Kuwait, destroying three ammunition depots, and striking a watchtower belonging to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
Bahrain said it had intercepted the Iranian air attack.
Jordan also reported a similar incident.
The U.S. Central Command declined to respond to media inquiries regarding those claims.
The U.S. Embassy in the Middle East has warned American citizens that opportunities to leave the region could become increasingly limited.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard urged residents of neighboring countries to stay away from U.S. military bases.***
