Houthis target Saudi Arabia as Iran denies involvement in Yemen conflict

Tensions across the Arabian Peninsula have intensified as the Houthi movement steps up attacks against Saudi Arabia, while Tehran rejects accusations that it is directing or supporting the group’s military decisions in Yemen.

The latest escalation follows a rapid Houthi offensive that has strengthened the movement’s position in western Yemen and around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait, a vital maritime corridor linking European and Asian markets.

The group has also targeted Saudi oil infrastructure, raising fresh concerns over global energy supplies and pushing crude prices above the symbolic $100-a-barrel threshold.

Houthi attacks put Saudi Arabia on alert

A Houthi strike in western Yemen killed eight government soldiers on Monday, according to two military sources. The movement also claimed responsibility for what it described as a large-scale assault involving dozens of ballistic missiles and drones against King Khalid Air Base near Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia.

A resident told AFP that he had witnessed numerous missiles falling around the military facility and heard powerful explosions. He also reported seeing a fire that continued for an extended period.

The Saudi-led military coalition confirmed that missile and drone attacks had targeted Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif. The coalition said 13 civilians were wounded.

The Houthis, meanwhile, said Saudi forces responded with around 50 strikes. The coalition pledged to respond to the attacks with what it described as determination and responsibility.

Houthi political bureau member Hazem al-Assad said on X that the group would continue and intensify its response for as long as what he called Saudi aggression against the Yemeni population continued.

Saudi civil defense authorities subsequently issued air-raid warnings across six regions during the early hours of Tuesday before lifting the alerts.

Riyadh seeks regional coordination

The escalation has prompted increased diplomatic and security activity in Riyadh.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, met in Jeddah on Monday with Brad Cooper, head of the US Central Command, to discuss the latest regional developments, according to Saudi state news agency SPA.

The Saudi leader is also scheduled to travel to Egypt to meet President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and discuss the deteriorating regional situation.

The developments come as Saudi Arabia faces growing pressure on its energy infrastructure and maritime interests. The threat extends beyond Bab el-Mandeb, with Saudi shipping interests also exposed to instability around the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran rejects accusations over Yemen

Against this backdrop, Saudi Arabia requested that a meeting with Iran be postponed. The talks, originally expected to bring together Gulf countries in Oman, were due to address the future of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian authorities rejected the suggestion that Yemen was a valid reason for the postponement.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described the explanation as a pretext and insisted that Tehran does not interfere in Yemen’s internal affairs.

He also portrayed the Houthis as an independent actor whose decisions are determined by their own interests rather than by instructions from Iran.

The dispute comes as control of the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical issue for the international energy market. The waterway is one of the world's most important routes for oil and gas shipments.

Political analyst Maziar Khosravi argued that Iran continues to retain significant leverage over Hormuz despite strong US pressure. In his assessment, the latest developments in Yemen have also altered the balance of power across the region, potentially strengthening Tehran’s position relative to Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia faces mounting economic and security pressure

The latest Houthi attacks add another layer of pressure on Saudi Arabia, whose energy infrastructure is already facing disruptions.

The kingdom’s East-West oil pipeline, an important alternative route designed to allow crude exports without relying entirely on the Strait of Hormuz, has reportedly remained out of service following drone attacks that Riyadh attributed to forces operating from Iraq.

The combination of threats to shipping routes, oil infrastructure and military facilities has raised concerns about the resilience of Saudi Arabia’s regional position.

Yemen itself is also paying a heavy price. After a period of relative calm, the country was drawn back into the wider regional confrontation in July following the escalation linked to the US-Israeli offensive against Iran at the end of February.

According to the International Organization for Migration, fighting in western Yemen in recent weeks has killed hundreds of people and displaced nearly 86,000 others.

Washington and Tehran remain far apart

The escalation in Yemen is unfolding alongside a broader diplomatic standoff between Washington and Tehran.

Negotiations between the United States and Iran remain stalled, although US President Donald Trump said Monday that Washington was still open to discussions.

Trump argued that Iran was seeking an agreement urgently, leaving the decision on whether to engage to the United States.

Iranian officials, however, rejected the prospect of negotiations under what they consider unacceptable conditions. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said there would be no negotiations until Tehran’s conditions were met.

The widening confrontation now links several strategic pressure points across the Middle East, from Yemen and Bab el-Mandeb to the Strait of Hormuz. With Saudi Arabia facing renewed Houthi attacks and Iran rejecting any role in directing them, the region’s security and energy outlook remains increasingly uncertain.