Houthis claim drone strike on Saudi base as fighting erupts around Bab el‑Mandeb

Houthis announced on Sunday that drones and missiles hit a Saudi military installation in the southern town of Sharurah, targeting what they described as weapons depots and command centres. The claim came amid a fresh surge of fighting in Yemen that has pushed the conflict closer to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow passage that handles a fifth of global oil shipments.

Escalation on land and sea

The strike follows a series of cross‑border incidents. Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia’s civil defence agency issued alerts for the city of Abha and the region around Khamis Mushait, warning of possible attacks from the south. The warnings were lifted within hours after no incidents were reported.

In the north, Saada province saw two Saudi air strikes, according to Almasirah TV, while artillery fire was reported in the border district of Monabbih. Both sides have accused each other of breaching a fragile cease‑fire that held for most of 2025.

Geopolitical backdrop

The fighting is being framed by analysts as part of a broader contest for influence between Iran and the Gulf states. Farea Al‑Muslimi, chairman of the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, warned that the current round could be “the last” of Yemen’s ongoing war, hinting at a possible shift in regional dynamics.

We targeted weapons depots and command and control centres that are managing the aggression against our nation and people,

Said Yahya Saree, the Houthis’ military spokesman, on the group’s X account.

Across the Gulf, former US President Donald Trump dismissed a planned meeting in Oman between Iran and Gulf states, telling reporters in Ireland that he “doesn’t care” about the talks.

Human cost and commercial risk

The United Nations and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 70,000 Yemenis have been displaced by the latest offensive, with around 1,400 seeking refuge in Djibouti. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirmed that a merchant vessel was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, killing one crew member and injuring three.

In a related development, Iraq announced a timetable to reopen three border crossings with Iran after a drone attack on the East‑West pipeline, which had prompted the closure of the crossings and the dismissal of a senior commander in Missan province.

Analysts say the convergence of land battles, maritime incidents and diplomatic posturing could push oil prices higher and test the resilience of global supply chains that rely on the Bab el‑Mandeb. Stakeholders are watching for any further escalation that might trigger wider sanctions or prompt a coordinated security response from the United States and its allies.