Houthis Claim Missile and Drone Barrage on Saudi Air Base, Threaten Escalation

The Houthis in Yemen have expanded their foothold in the southern Red Sea and seized additional strategic islands, alongside a sharp escalation in their conflict with Saudi Arabia. Officials in Yemen’s government and the Houthi organization said today (Monday) that the Iran-backed rebels had captured the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands, strengthening their control of the area near the major shipping route that passes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The takeover came after Saudi-backed government forces tried over the weekend to unite and halt the Houthis’ rapid advance in the area. According to reports, the rebels also seized the port city of Mocha and Mayyun Island, located at the heart of Bab el-Mandeb, a vital sea passage that serves as an alternative to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Alongside their advances on the ground, the Houthis stepped up attacks against Saudi Arabia. Sirens sounded once again today in the south of the kingdom, after the group claimed it had launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones overnight at King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait.

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed that fighter jet hangars, radar systems, runways, and ammunition depots were targeted, and that “direct hits” were achieved. The claims have not been independently confirmed, and Saudi Arabia has not yet reported any interceptions, casualties, or damage at the base.

Saree said the attack came in response to more than 300 strikes carried out by the Saudi Air Force across Yemen over the past five days. He also threatened: “We will continue to attack Saudi troop concentrations until the military operations stop and the blockade is lifted.”

The escalation follows reports by Saudi authorities that 73 people, including women and children, were injured in earlier attacks in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan, and Najran. At the same time, the East-West oil pipeline, which carries oil to Yanbu and bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, was attacked.

Against this backdrop, Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar reported that Egypt is trying to advance mediation between the sides, out of concern that the conflict around Bab el-Mandeb could affect the Suez Canal. Cairo proposed holding talks in Egypt or Oman, but Saudi Arabia has not yet responded to the proposal.