The Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen has launched what it described as a “proportionate military response” against Houthi military targets in Hodeidah Governorate following recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, as regional tensions continue to escalate.
Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki said the operation targeted legitimate military sites linked to the Houthi militia’s missile and drone capabilities used to threaten international shipping.
He described the attacks on commercial vessels as acts of “maritime terrorism” and said the coalition’s response complied with international humanitarian law while achieving its planned operational objectives.
Al-Maliki stressed that coalition forces deliberately avoided targeting the strategic port of Hodeidah, emphasizing that Yemeni ports, including Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Salif, remain open to commercial shipping and continue to receive food, fuel, construction materials and other essential supplies.
He rejected Houthi claims of a blockade, accusing the group of prolonging the suffering of civilians by obstructing humanitarian initiatives and refusing to facilitate normal operations at Sana’a International Airport.
The coalition reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s continued support for Yemen’s internationally recognized government and pledged to take all necessary measures to protect the Kingdom’s maritime interests, commercial shipping and national assets against future attacks.
Meanwhile, Yemeni military officials told Reuters that government air force aircraft carried out strikes on Houthi missile launch sites, drone positions and weapons depots in the provinces of Marib and Al-Jawf.
The attacks were described as among the first offensive air operations launched by government forces against the Iran-backed group. Yemeni state media reported that several Houthi fighters were killed during the strikes.
Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi accused the Houthis of sacrificing Yemen’s national interests to serve Iran’s regional agenda, while pledging continued cooperation with the coalition to safeguard international maritime routes.
Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al Jaber also accused the Houthi movement of turning Yemen into a tool for external powers at the expense of the country’s security and stability. He reiterated Riyadh’s commitment to supporting UN-led efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive political settlement.
The latest military action follows two recent attacks on Saudi-operated commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Saudi authorities confirmed that the tanker NCC MASA sustained minor damage but safely continued its voyage after the crew was found unharmed. The incident came less than two days after another Saudi-linked vessel, ENCELIA, caught fire following a separate Houthi attack.
Saudi officials said the repeated assaults on commercial shipping constitute clear violations of international maritime law and pledged to continue protecting navigation in accordance with international legal obligations, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Meanwhile, Saudi Civil Defense announced that the security alert issued earlier for Yanbu Governorate and the Jazan region had been lifted after the immediate threat had passed.
