Houthis launch missiles, drones at Saudi Arabia after strikes on Yemen's Hodeida

Yemen's Houthi rebels said Saturday they launched missiles and drones targeting Saudi Arabia in retaliation for Saudi airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeida.

Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said in a recorded statement that the group targeted facilities operated by Saudi oil giant Aramco in the Red Sea cities of Yanbu and Jizan.

According to the Houthis, the attacks were carried out in response to Saudi airstrikes earlier Saturday on Hodeida and Kamaran Island off Yemen's western coast, both under Houthi control.

Saudi Arabia did not immediately comment on the Houthi claims. However, the Kingdom's Civil Defense confirmed that warning sirens sounded several times in Yanbu and Jizan before the alert was later lifted.

The exchange came amid heightened regional tensions following weeks of military escalation involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

Iran reported no overnight strikes for the first time in nearly two weeks. Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour said the country experienced a "peaceful night," while the U.S. Central Command made no announcement of new military action.

Despite the pause, tensions remain high over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy shipping route that has become a focal point of the conflict. Iran has been accused of attacking vessels in the strategic waterway, prompting U.S. military strikes on dozens of Iranian targets. Tehran has responded with attacks targeting U.S.-allied Arab states in the region.

Earlier this week, the Houthis also claimed attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, raising fresh concerns over the security of one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. The Saudi-led coalition subsequently carried out strikes on Hodeida, according to coalition officials.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called for resolving the Yemen conflict through diplomacy and dialogue rather than military action, according to an interview published Saturday in the state-run Iran newspaper.

The ongoing regional conflict has caused thousands of casualties, with Iran reporting more than 3,400 deaths. Fatalities have also been reported in Israel, Lebanon and other countries across the Middle East.