Houthis accuse Saudi strikes of hitting civilian sites in Hodeida, vow retaliation
The Iran-backed Houthi movement said Saudi air attacks on the Yemeni port of Hodeida damaged civilian infrastructure and injured two people, while Saudi officials maintained the strikes targeted Houthi military positions protecting shipping lanes.
Saudi Arabia conducted air strikes on the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeida on Friday, saying the attacks hit military sites that threatened commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The Saudi-led coalition said the operation was a response to Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers amid a maritime blockade.
Houthi representatives on Telegram claimed the strikes hit civilian infrastructure, including facilities of the state telecommunications corporation and Kamaran Island, injuring a worker in Hodeida and a woman on the island. "The Saudi enemy's targeting of civilian facilities in Hodeida and Kamaran island constitutes a dangerous escalation," the group wrote, adding that the actions would not go unanswered.
Saudi officials reiterated their commitment to protect shipping, warning that any further hostile acts would be met with decisive response. The Red Sea has become a vital route for oil exports as the Strait of Hormuz remains contested.
In a separate incident, a Greek-operated Patriot air-defence system in Saudi Arabia intercepted two ballistic missiles launched from Yemen that were aimed at oil refineries in Yanbu, according to Reuters.