Saudi Arabia conducted airstrikes against Houthi military targets in western Yemen on Saturday, July 25.
It was one of Riyadh’s biggest military responses since the collapse of the years of relative calm along the southern border, and came after the Iran-backed Houthi movement attacked Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea and attempted missile strikes against Saudi energy infrastructure.
A U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II, assigned to 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, lands at Kadena Air Base, Japan, July 16, 2025. The F-15EX plays a critical role in modern warfare, providing substantial additional capacity for long-range fires, sensors, and electronic warfare in contested areas, complementing 5th generation fighters. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Nathaniel Jackson)
An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron launches for a training sortie April 11, at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. The 494th conducts routine training daily to ensure RAF Lakenheath brings unique air combat capabilities to the fight when called upon by United States Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew),
The escalation is particularly troublesome, too, given that it appears to be part of a large pressure campaign against the United States and the West.
The Houthis are one of Tehran’s regional allies, and their recently announced blockade on Saudi shipping adds additional strain to the disruption already being caused in the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Coalition Targets Houthi Military Sites
Saudi Arabia said on Saturday, July 25, that the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen – a military alliance established in 2015 to support Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Iran-backed Houthi movement – had carried out airstrikes against Houthi targets in western Yemen.
According to Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Malki, the coalition’s spokesman, the overnight operation targeted sites in Hodeidah governorate.
Intelligence indicated that the military sites were being used to launch attacks against Saudi-linked commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea.
The spokesman said that the attacks were aimed “solely” at “legitimate military targets that the terrorist Houthi militia uses to threaten commercial vessels in the Red Sea.”
He also said that coalition aircraft deliberately avoided Hodeidah Port itself and said that the nearby ports of Ras Issa and Salif are open to commercial shipping and humanitarian assistance.
The Houthi-run broadcaster Al Masirah, meanwhile, reported that coalition aircraft had struck facilities belonging to Yemen’s state telecommunications company in Hodeidah City.
The broadcaster also claimed that military positions on Kamaran Island were hit.
Saudi Arabia says that the operation is intended to protect freedom of navigation through the Red Sea following the announcement of the Houthi maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, intended to stop ships from moving cargo through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Houthis Claim Aramco Strikes
The Houthis responded hours later with claims that they had launched a large-scale missile and drone attack against Saudi Arabian energy infrastructure, including Saudi Aramco facilities in the Red Sea cities of Jizan and Yanbu.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree also promised further military action.
“We emphasize the equation of blockade for blockade and escalation for escalation,” Saree said.
Citing Greek security sources, Reuters reported that a Greek-operated Patriot air defense system intercepted two ballistic missiles fired from Yemen toward Yanbu, which is home to one of Saudi Arabia’s largest refining complexes.
Saudi Civil Defense issued emergency warnings for residents before later announcing that the danger had passed. There have been no reports of casualties or damage.
Reuters also verified video that appeared to show smoke rising into the air from an Aramco refinery in Jizan following the attack, although Saudi authorities have not yet confirmed any oil facilities have been successfully struck.
The attempted strikes are the first Houthi attacks against Saudi Aramco facilities in more than four years and suggest that a larger conflict could soon arise.
Trump Warns Iran Over Houthi Attacks
The escalation comes as Washington attempts to prevent continued Houthi military action by holding Iran responsible for attacks.
On Thursday, July 23, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any future Houthi attacks would be treated as Iranian attacks, arguing that the group functions as one of Iran’s regional proxies and is supporting Iran in the war against the U.S.
“Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves, who I am very disappointed with in that they have, until now, acted very professionally and smart,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The warnings followed the United States’ 12th consecutive night of airstrikes against military targets in Iran. Speaking to Axios the same day, Trump said that he was considering a “massive attack” against Iran that would be larger than any operation carried out so far because Iran had not received “enough pain” yet.
Reversing Years Of Relative Calm
The renewed fighting threatens to undo years of relative calm in Yemen following the United Nations-brokered truce reached in 2022.
The deal significantly reduced cross-border attacks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis even as the country’s civil war remained unresolved.
The chances of renewed large-scale fighting appear to be much higher, and this time it carries even greater costs.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is already one of the most important waterways in the world, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and allowing the passage of a substantial share of global trade and energy exports.
Today, it is also Saudi Arabia’s best bet against the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently experiencing an enormous decline in traffic caused by Iranian mining and exchanges of missile and drone strikes.
About The Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, producing and editing analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at 19FortyFive and National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
