Riyadh/Sanaa, 25 July (H.S.):

Amid escalating maritime tensions following attacks on Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea, the Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes targeting Houthi military positions in Yemen's Houthi-controlled Hodeidah province. The coalition said the operation was aimed at military sites allegedly being used to threaten commercial shipping and undermine maritime security.

According to Russia Today (RT) and Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency, coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki said the military operation was conducted in accordance with international humanitarian law and did not target the Port of Hodeidah. He clarified that Yemen's major ports, including Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Al-Salif, remain open to maritime navigation.

Meanwhile, the Houthi group's Al-Masirah television channel claimed that the airstrikes targeted telecommunications facilities in Hodeidah province as well as Kamaran Island in the Red Sea. The group said a woman was injured in the attack, while its political wing condemned the operation and warned that it would respond to what it described as escalating tensions with further escalation.

Shortly after the airstrikes, reports emerged of a retaliatory Houthi attack on the Saudi industrial city of Jazan. According to reports, a facility belonging to state-owned oil giant Aramco caught fire. Earlier this week, the Houthis claimed responsibility for targeting two Saudi-owned oil tankers. Saudi authorities confirmed that one tanker caught fire, while the second vessel sustained minor damage.

In recent days, the Houthi group announced restrictions on Saudi-linked vessels transiting the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The group said the move was a response to what it described as the ongoing blockade of Yemen. In response, the Saudi-led coalition pledged to take stronger measures to safeguard maritime security and protect commercial shipping.

The conflict in Yemen began in 2014 after the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sanaa. In 2015, Saudi Arabia launched a military intervention in support of the internationally recognised Yemeni government. The prolonged conflict has since triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Following the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023, the Houthis began launching missile and drone attacks against Israel and vessels linked to it, describing the operations as an expression of support for the Palestinian people. Although those attacks temporarily declined after an agreement with the United States in May 2025, tensions have risen again in recent weeks. US President Donald Trump recently warned of strong military action against the Iran-backed Houthi movement if attacks on commercial shipping continue.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar