Houthi fighters claim to have attacked a military base in southern Saudi Arabia with drones and missiles, as fighting with Yemeni government forces escalates. The attack targeted the Sharurah base, hitting “weapons depots and command and control centres that are managing the aggression against our nation and people,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree wrote on X. The date of the operation was not specified.
Clashes have increased this week between the Iran-allied Houthis and Yemeni government forces backed by Riyadh. On Saturday, government forces said they struck Houthi fighters in the Red Sea city of Mocha and later attacked other Houthi positions in the south-west.
The escalation follows a week-long Houthi offensive that saw the group capture the remainder of Yemen's Red Sea coast and several strategic islands, cementing their hold on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The waterway has become a critical artery for Saudi oil exports after Iran largely cut off Gulf shipments through the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the Middle East war. The Houthis have also declared their own maritime blockade of Riyadh's Red Sea ports.
US news site Axios reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman twice called President Trump last week requesting American strikes on the Houthis, but the request was rejected. Three sources told Reuters the crown prince phoned Trump on Thursday and asked for US military help; they said Prince Salman was told Washington would not intervene directly for now but would help with intelligence.
Trump confirmed on Saturday he had spoken with the crown prince and said the Houthis had also phoned his administration, asking the US not to become directly involved.
Yemen's government news agency Saba reported on Saturday that Yemeni forces “destroyed vehicles and weapons and killed members of the Houthi terrorist militia” near Mocha. A spokesman said they struck Houthi targets outside the city. The Houthis said over the previous 48 hours, “Saudi enemy aircraft conducted 129 air strikes” on areas under their control. Saudi authorities reported a Houthi projectile fell near the border, injuring two people and damaging a mosque, several buildings and vehicles.