The Saudi Air Force launched heavy airstrikes on the Houthi-controlled port of Al-Hudaydah in Yemen, with at least seven bombs reported so far, according to regional reports. The strikes come hours after a Houthi spokesman warned that Saudi aggression was targeting the port.
The Saudi Air Force has begun heavy bombings on the Houthi-controlled port of Al-Hudaydah in Yemen, with at least seven strikes reported as of Friday evening, according to regional reports. The extent of damage and casualties is not yet clear.
The strikes follow a warning by a Houthi spokesman earlier tonight – just 25 minutes prior – that Saudi aggression was targeting Al-Hudaydah port, and that the Saudis had 'opened the gates of hell for themselves,' as The Zioneer reported.
The escalation occurs in the context of a broader confrontation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis over Red Sea shipping lanes. Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea have intensified in recent weeks, with reports of strikes on two Saudi tankers on Thursday. Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, including Saada and now the strategic port of Al-Hudaydah.
The Houthi movement, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been engaged in a years-long conflict with a Saudi-led coalition. The current round of hostilities has seen a significant increase in maritime attacks, threatening Saudi oil exports.
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