Saudi strikes Houthis in Yemen after Red Sea tanker attacks

Saudi strikes on Houthis in Yemen followed the Iran-backed group’s claim that it had attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia said Saturday. The action added pressure to a shipping corridor that the Houthis have threatened to use to disrupt Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Major General Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency that the strikes were limited to military sites used by the Houthis to threaten commercial vessels in the Red Sea. He accused the group of carrying out a “reckless and cowardly act” by targeting commercial shipping.

The Houthis had declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on Monday and threatened to cut off the kingdom’s oil exports through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The strait was cited by the group as part of the route it sought to disrupt, according to the reports.

Why did Saudi Arabia strike Houthi targets in Yemen?

Saudi Arabia said the strikes were a response to Houthi attacks and threats against commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The coalition framed the operation as directed at military infrastructure rather than civilian targets, according to Al-Malki’s statement.

Reuters, citing Greek security sources, reported that Saudi air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles launched from Yemen on Saturday. The missiles were aimed at oil refineries in Yanbu, the sources said, referring to the Red Sea city that hosts energy infrastructure.

Saudi Civil Defence issued several warnings for Yanbu and later said the danger had passed. There were no immediate official reports of damage. Reuters reported, citing the Greek security sources, that the air defense system involved was operated by Greek military personnel.

Red Sea shipping risk widens with Iran tensions

The Saudi-Houthi exchange came as the conflict involving Iran showed signs of broadening. U.S. forces launched air strikes on Iran late Thursday and early Friday, marking the 13th consecutive night of attacks, according to the reports.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday on Truth Social that Washington would hold Iran responsible for any further Houthi attacks. He described the Houthis as a surrogate or proxy of Iran and said “major military punishment” would be inflicted on Iran and the Houthis if the group attacked again.

The Associated Press quoted U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins as saying American forces disabled the M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman after the merchant vessel tried at least four times to run a blockade. The report said the vessel had attempted to breach restrictions on Iran’s ports.

Trump also told Axios on Thursday that he would soon decide whether to launch what he called a “massive attack” on Iran. He said any proposed strikes would be larger than previous attacks in the war and said Iran had not “received enough pain yet,” according to Axios.

Diplomatic efforts were also under way. Reuters reported Friday, citing three Pakistani sources, that Pakistan was seeking ways to restart stalled peace talks between the United States and Iran.

For energy markets and shipping operators, the immediate issue is the security of vessels moving through the Red Sea and nearby chokepoints. The reported missile interceptions near Yanbu and the Houthi threats against Saudi exports show how military action in Yemen can feed quickly into risks for commercial shipping and oil infrastructure.

This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.