Houthis Attack Saudi Base as Yemen Ceasefire Collapses

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced on X that the organization launched a barrage and precision strike against a military base in Saudi Arabia. According to the statement, the targets included command centers and weapons depots inside Saudi territory.

The move comes against the backdrop of Axios reports that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approached U.S. President Donald Trump with a request to strike Yemen and was turned down. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reported this morning that a cross-border missile wounded two people and destroyed a mosque in the southern region.

According to emerging data from the ground, approximately 500 people have been killed as the ceasefire has completely collapsed. Nearly 50,000 people are fleeing in panic from their emptying homes facing the burning Bab al-Mandab Strait. The Taiz area is ablaze from Yemeni army strikes, and entire villages have turned to ash, trapped without food.

The Houthis report 129 Saudi strike sorties in the past 48 hours. What was supposed to be a limited operation is turning before the world's eyes into a renewed civil war, with the Iranians pushing forward, the Saudis gritting their teeth, and Washington hesitating.

According to Reuters reports, the Houthi operation was carried out under direct guidance from Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Two Iranian sources said Tehran ordered the Houthis last week to escalate their attacks on Saudi Arabia, promising them additional funding and weapons.

In recent days, the Houthis have fired missiles and drones at targets in southern Saudi Arabia, including energy facilities and infrastructure. According to the Saudi coalition's statement, at least 73 people were wounded in the attacks, including women and children. The targeted areas include the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan, and Najran – all in southern Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen.

Saudi Arabia's defense and security leadership (Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

One of the main focal points was Jizan, where Saudi Aramco energy infrastructure was attacked. The Saudi Energy Ministry said several energy facilities in the south of the country were damaged, and emergency and firefighting crews were called to the scene following fires that broke out at the facilities.

Earlier this week, the Houthis completed their takeover of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world's most strategic and important shipping routes, according to AFP news agency. The Iran-backed rebel forces seized Perim Island in the heart of the strait and the coastal city of Dhubab adjacent to the strait, thereby expanding their control over nearly the entire Yemeni coast of the Red Sea.

Officials in the Yemeni government, recognized by the international community and backed by Saudi Arabia, acknowledged that government forces withdrew from the strategic Perim Island located at the center of the strait's entrance. According to them, control of Dhubab and Perim Island is the key to controlling the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Fire in Saudi Arabia: Houthis attacked cities and energy facilities – 73 wounded (Photo: Social media)

While U.S. President Donald Trump declares that the Houthis "don't want to fight us," the Yemeni organization once again shows that what happens on the ground dictates events, not statements. According to Axios reports and American sources, President Trump authorized Riyadh to act against the Houthis, leading to focused Saudi strikes in Hodeidah and Sanaa and the establishment of a maritime coalition led by Saudi Arabia. But Trump emphasized repeatedly: the United States will not lead the campaign and will not send troops into the Yemeni quagmire.

Pakistan clarified that it will activate its mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the event of escalation in Houthi attacks from Yemen on the kingdom's territory. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif emphasized his country's commitment to defending Saudi territory and said that "aggression against one country will be considered aggression against all three countries."

Alongside military coordination, Islamabad conveyed a stern warning to Tehran demanding it rein in its allies in Yemen to prevent deterioration into a comprehensive regional war.