War in the Middle East widens, Saudi Arabia strikes Houthis in Yemen

Saudi Arabia on Friday carried out airstrikes on Yemen's Hodeidah province, which is controlled by Houthi rebels, marking another escalation of tensions in the Red Sea region.

According to Al-Masirah TV, which is under the control of the Houthi rebels, the attacks targeted telecommunications authorities' facilities and Kamaran Island. No casualties have been reported so far, while authorities have not disclosed the extent of material damage.

The attacks came just hours after Saudi state media reported that the Saudi ship NCC MASA had suffered minor hull damage while sailing in the Red Sea. According to Saudi authorities, the ship continued its journey after being confirmed to be safe for navigation.

A day earlier, the Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on two other Saudi ships, the "Encela" and the "Laylia", claiming they used ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.

The escalation comes after the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi ships passing through the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group warned that any commercial vessel using Saudi ports for loading or unloading could be considered a military target, regardless of its nationality or destination.

The Houthis justified the decision by accusing Saudi Arabia of imposing a blockade on areas of Yemen controlled by the internationally recognized government.

On the other hand, Riyadh rejected these accusations, announcing that the Yemeni ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Isa have received over 300 ships with food, fuel and construction materials during the first half of 2026. Saudi authorities stressed that the current measures are only aimed at implementing United Nations restrictions to prevent arms smuggling.

The Saudi-led coalition also announced that it has imposed additional security measures for ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab and warned of a firm response to any threat to maritime navigation.

However, later in the day, the Houthis clarified that they had not completely closed the Bab al-Mandab Strait, stressing that their measures were only directed at ships bound for Saudi Arabia and not at all international maritime traffic. /Telegraph ...