Full story
Hodeidah strikes and blockade
Saudi Arabia conducted strikes on Yemen's Hodeidah governorate, targeting the port and telecommunications facilities, according to Houthi-run Al Masirah TV, as tensions flared over Red Sea shipping.
“Saudi Arabia has launched strikes on Yemen’s Houthi-held city of Hodeidah, the group’s foreign ministry said, in the latest escalation of the conflict amid the regional war between the United States and Iran”
In response, the Houthi movement threatened a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, while the Saudi-led coalition vowed a firm response to the developments.
Anadolu Ajansı reported that Yemen's Houthi group accused Saudi Arabia of airstrikes in western Yemen, saying the strikes targeted Kamaran Island and facilities belonging to the Telecommunications Corporation in Hodeidah province.
The reported strikes came as tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis escalated after the group threatened to ban Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and after the Arab coalition's Joint Forces Command said it would take measures to protect commercial vessels on July 20.
Competing claims and quotes
A Houthi military official, Ameen Hayyan, director of the spokesperson's office of Yemen's Houthi military, said in a statement, "A Saudi aggression is now targeting the port of Hodeidah," and warned the kingdom it would face retaliation.
The National news outlet then reported that the Saudi General Authority for Transport said the Saudi-flagged commercial vessel NCC MASA continued its voyage after inspections confirmed the safety of the ship and its crew.
Anadolu Ajansı said Saudi authorities had not commented on the reported strikes at the time of publication, and it also said the Houthi-affiliated September 26 news website blamed Saudi Arabia for multiple airstrikes.
In a separate account, the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition announced a military operation in Al-Hudaydah Governorate, with Major General Turki al-Maliki saying the coalition did not target the port of Hudaydah and that all Yemeni ports, including Hudaydah, Ras Isa, and Al-Salif, remain open to maritime navigation.
What comes next for shipping
The Houthis’ maritime escalation is framed in the sources as a threat to one of the most important international waterways, with Major General Turki al-Maliki saying the Houthi militia continues to target commercial ships in the Red Sea in a systematic manner.
“Houthis claim airstrikes hit western Yemen, accuse Saudi Arabia Group says attacks hit island and telecommunications facilities in Hodeidah as tensions rise over Red Sea shipping Mohammed Sameai and Sahin Demir 24 July 2026•Update: 24 July 2026 ISTANBUL / SANAA Yemen's Houthi group on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out airstrikes in the western province of Hodeidah amid rising tensions over Red Sea shipping”
The Coalition spokesperson also stressed that the operation ended with the achievement of the principle of proportionality and that the Joint Forces Command would continue to take operational measures to protect ships and the Kingdom’s national interests.
Devdiscourse said that despite a 2022 truce intended to prevent further warfare, the conflict risks reigniting, and it described the broader stakes as a war that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives through violence, famine, and disease.
Meanwhile, Anadolu Ajansı reported that on July 20 the Arab coalition's Joint Forces Command said it would take measures to protect commercial vessels and respond to threats in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, accusing the Houthis of escalating tensions against Saudi Arabia and Yemen's internationally recognized government.
