Houthis Fire Missiles and Drones at Saudi Arabia in Retaliatory Strike

Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility Saturday for a missile and drone barrage targeting Saudi Arabia, citing Saudi strikes on the Yemeni port city of Hodeida as justification.

Houthi rebels announced they launched missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
The group said the strikes were retaliation for Saudi attacks on Hodeida, Yemen's key coastal city.
Iran backs the Houthi movement, which has controlled large parts of northern Yemen since 2014.
Saudi Arabia has been the primary military force opposing Houthi expansion since its coalition intervention began in 2015.
No immediate casualty figures or confirmed impact sites in Saudi Arabia have been verified as of filing.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia Saturday, claiming the strike was retaliation for Saudi bombardment of Hodeida, Yemen's main Red Sea port.

The Houthi military spokesperson announced the attack without specifying the number of projectiles launched or the precise targets inside Saudi territory.

Saudi authorities had not issued an official response as of filing time. The kingdom has conducted airstrikes in Yemen under a coalition framework since 2015, targeting Houthi-controlled positions including infrastructure in and around Hodeida.

Hodeida has been a flashpoint throughout the decade-long conflict. The port handles the bulk of Yemen's humanitarian imports, and past fighting there drew international condemnation over civilian impact.

The Houthis have previously fired long-range missiles and drones at Saudi cities, including Riyadh, as well as at commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Several of those earlier strikes caused infrastructure damage and brief disruptions to air traffic.

A Saudi coalition statement on the Hodeida strikes that prompted Saturday's Houthi retaliation had not been independently verified by the Wail at filing time.

Regional monitors and UN officials are expected to issue assessments of both the Saudi strikes on Hodeida and the Houthi retaliatory launch in the coming days.