Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabian oil facilities in Yanbu and Jizan on Saturday, July 25, 2026. The attacks targeted Aramco sites in response to Saudi airstrikes on the strategic city of Hodeida and Kamaran island, escalating tensions across the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes represent a significant escalation in regional hostilities. According to The Washington Post, these are the first Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities since 2022.
Aramco Targets and Saudi Civil Defense Alerts
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Iranian-backed rebels, confirmed in a pre-recorded statement that the group targeted facilities belonging to Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, specifically in the Red Sea cities of Yanbu and Jizan.
Saudi Arabia’s civil defense confirmed that alerts sounded multiple times early Saturday in both cities. The outlet reported that the alert was issued for a potential danger
before being lifted, though the Saudi government provided no further details. Bahrain also sounded missile alerts, but no casualties were reported.
The Hodeida Airstrikes and Port Conflict
The Houthi offensive followed Saudi-led coalition strikes on Friday, July 24, and early Saturday, July 25, targeting Hodeida and Kamaran island. The catalyst for these strikes, according to Thehindu, was a series of Houthi attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea earlier in the week.
There is a direct contradiction regarding the targets in Hodeida. Anees al-Asbahi, a spokesperson for the Houthi-run Health Ministry, stated that the strikes hit the city’s port and the state-run telecommunications corporation, injuring two people. Conversely, the Saudi-led coalition claimed it did not hit the port, asserting instead that it struck legitimate military targets
linked to threats against commercial vessels.
Strait of Hormuz and the U.S.-Iran Blockade
The Red Sea escalation is occurring while the U.S. and Iran vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz. A tenuous ceasefire that followed American and Israeli attacks on Iran in late February appeared to unravel in early July. The U.S. accused Iran of striking three ships in the strait, responding by hitting dozens of Iranian targets; Iran retaliated by firing at U.S.-allied Gulf Arab states.
On Friday, July 24, the U.S. military fired on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman that was attempting to breach a renewed blockade of Iranian ports.
Despite the volatility, Saturday saw a rare pause in direct U.S.-Iran strikes. Hossein Kermanpour, a spokesperson for Iran’s Health Ministry, posted on X that Iran had a peaceful night
, marking a break from 13 consecutive nights of U.S. attacks.
Global Shipping and the Bab el-Mandeb Stakes
The conflict now threatens to choke one of the world’s most critical maritime arteries. The Houthis have threatened to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Saudi-linked shipping. This chokepoint connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is vital for global trade.
| Metric | Impact of Bab el-Mandeb Closure |
|---|---|
| Global Trade Volume | Approximately 12% of world trade passes through the narrows |
| Container Traffic | One-quarter of global container traffic |
This strategic positioning allows the Houthis to leverage regional instability to pressure Saudi Arabia and the U.S., turning a local conflict into a global economic risk.
Regional Human Cost and Diplomatic Efforts
Diplomatic attempts to stem the tide remain fragile. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called for diplomacy and dialogue
to resolve the Yemen conflict without further military confrontations
.
The situation remains precarious. While the U.S. did not announce new strikes on Iran for one night, the combination of Houthi missile attacks on oil infrastructure and the U.S. blockade in the Gulf of Oman suggests that the region is moving toward a more expansive military confrontation rather than a return to the relative calm experienced earlier.
