Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed a missile strike on Saudi Arabia on Saturday, just hours after vowing to retaliate against the kingdom for strikes amid the expanding war in the Middle East, UNN reports, citing AFP.
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On Friday, Riyadh struck Houthi military targets in Hodeidah, and rebel media reported two wounded after the Yemeni group announced a naval blockade of the leading oil producer and struck its ships.
This escalation marks a new front in the war that has engulfed the region since US-Israeli strikes on Tehran in February, and comes on top of Iran's parallel blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Riyadh's only other maritime route.
The rebels accused Saudi Arabia of a "dangerous escalation" and said their actions "will not go unanswered."
Houthi media "Ansarollah" reported on Telegram early Saturday that a "Yemeni missile strike" caused fires in the southern Saudi city of Jizan on the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia did not immediately comment on the claim.
But Riyadh's civil defense agency issued brief warnings early Saturday to residents of Jizan and Yanbu about a "potential danger," only to cancel the warnings a few minutes later. Similar warnings have been issued before when missiles or drones were launched at the kingdom.
As Türkiye Today notes, a fire broke out at the Saudi Aramco refinery in Jazan on Saturday after what was described, based on social media reports and satellite fire detection data, as a Houthi ballistic missile and drone attack. According to social media reports and images, thick plumes of smoke rose from the Saudi Aramco refinery in Jazan, and the NASA FIRMS/VIIRS satellite monitoring system detected several fire hotspots at the site.
This came after the Saudi-led coalition said on Friday it had struck Houthi facilities and destroyed targets threatening commercial vessels, in response to attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
A source in the Yemeni security service told AFP that Saudi targets included a naval base in the port city of Hodeidah and a military camp on Kamaran Island.
The Houthis claimed attacks on two Saudi ships earlier this week, and Saudi Arabia confirmed one of the attacks in the Red Sea.
A source in the Yemeni security service said the Saudi strikes targeted a telecommunications building near the port of Hodeidah and a naval base in Ras al-Katib in Hodeidah.
Houthi TV channel "al-Masirah" reported that two people were wounded — a worker in Hodeidah and a woman on Kamaran Island.
According to its data, a telecommunications company building was shelled in Hodeidah.
On Monday, the rebels warned in a radio broadcast to ships that they would attack vessels "belonging to the Saudi enemy" that do not comply with their blockade.
Saudi state media, citing a transport authority official on Friday, said that "the vessel (NCC MASA), owned by a Saudi company, was targeted while sailing in the Red Sea today... resulting in minor damage to the ship's hull."
The vessel resumed its course, SPA added.
Houthis claim attack on oil tankers amid 12th night of US strikes on Iran23.07.26, 09:22