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Houthis Accuse Saudi Arabia of 26 Attacks in 24 Hours in Yemen — AI-generated representative image. Civilians move through a damaged street amid the ongoing conflict and displacement in Yemen.

Editorial Team

Rebels report 300 strikes in a week as fighting escalates near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and Red Sea tensions rise.

Yemen's Houthi rebels have accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out 26 attacks against areas under their control in the past 24 hours, as the two sides continue exchanging fire amid a widening escalation of the war in Yemen. The group made the claim on Friday, saying Saudi strikes on Houthi-held territory had reached 300 over the past week alone, hitting positions across the areas it controls.

The intensifying violence has raised alarm far beyond Yemen's borders. The Houthis' rapid territorial gains have brought large stretches of the Red Sea coast, including the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, under their control, threatening a vital corridor for global trade and prompting international powers to respond.

Escalating Clashes and Mounting Casualties

Yemen's Saudi-backed government said on Friday that its forces killed 30 Houthi rebels and wounded more than 60 in clashes in the al-Waziiyah district of Taiz province, one of several fronts where combat has intensified this week.

Earlier this week, the intensifying attacks between the two sides killed at least five people, including three children, according to reports from both sides. Saudi Arabia said one person was killed in the Taif governorate after a Houthi drone was intercepted, while Houthi-linked media reported deaths from Saudi attacks in Taiz and the town of Abs.

Tens of thousands of people marched through Sanaa on Friday in a show of support for the Iran-backed Houthis and against Saudi Arabia.

International Response and Diplomatic Pressure

The United Nations Security Council condemned the Houthis' continuing attacks on Saudi Arabia, saying they had caused civilian casualties, including women and children, and damaged energy infrastructure. In a statement released on Friday, members said the military escalation, continued attacks on Saudi Arabia, and threats to international shipping in the Red Sea "threaten to widen the conflict, endanger maritime security and international trade, and undermine regional and international efforts to achieve peace in Yemen."

Members voiced deep concern over reports that at least 125,000 people had been displaced across Yemen since the start of September, demanded an immediate halt to the attacks, expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia, and affirmed the kingdom's right to self-defence under international law.

The escalation has drawn in Washington, though reluctantly. United States officials met Houthi representatives at the US embassy in the Omani capital, Muscat, over the weekend after the group's territorial gains raised concern over shipping through Bab al-Mandeb. Despite appeals from Riyadh for US President Donald Trump to strike the Houthis directly, Washington has so far held back, wary of opening a new front while still fighting a costly war with Iran.

European Naval Response and Official Statements

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday that the bloc's Red Sea naval mission, Operation Aspides, had raised its alert level as the situation in the region worsened. "Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are unacceptable and sabotage the global economy," Kallas said in a post on X.

She added that she had spoken with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud about diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in Yemen and restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis reportedly assured Washington that vessels not linked to Saudi Arabia would not be targeted.

What Lies Ahead

The fighting shows no immediate sign of abating, with clashes continuing across multiple fronts and the Houthis pressing their gains along the Red Sea coast. International diplomatic efforts remain focused on restoring freedom of navigation and reviving peace negotiations, but no formal ceasefire or de-escalation agreement has been announced. Further confirmation of casualty figures and displacement numbers is still awaited.