SANAA/RIYADH July 24, 2026 — Yemen’s Houthi movement on Friday promised to retaliate against Saudi Arabia following airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and nearby Kamaran Island.
The Houthi Foreign Ministry described the Saudi-led coalition strikes as a “major folly” that would “cost it dearly,” stating that the attacks marked the start of a new phase of “escalation for escalation.” Houthi-affiliated media reported that the strikes targeted telecommunications facilities and left at least one civilian injured. Houthi air defenses claimed to have forced several Saudi aircraft to withdraw.
The Saudi-led coalition confirmed it had carried out airstrikes on Houthi military sites in Hodeidah linked to threats against commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Officials stressed that the port itself was not targeted and that all Yemeni ports remain open to navigation. The strikes came in direct response to Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers earlier this week.
Tensions between the two sides had been rising for nearly two weeks. On July 13, a disputed strike on Sanaa International Airport — which the Houthis blamed on Saudi Arabia — prompted the group to announce a maritime blockade of Saudi shipping. On Thursday, the Houthis claimed missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, in the Red Sea. Saudi authorities confirmed damage and a fire on one of the vessels.
The latest exchange ends a fragile calm that had largely held since a 2022 truce in Yemen’s long-running civil war. Analysts warn that further Houthi retaliation could disrupt Red Sea shipping lanes and push oil prices higher amid already elevated regional tensions.
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