Yemen's internationally recognized government said on Friday that Houthi rebels fired six ballistic missiles at the Red Sea port city of al-Makha (Mocha), killing at least four people. This is the latest development in a series of escalating hostilities between the Iran-backed Houthi forces and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.
Armed forces affiliated with the Yemeni government said the attack targeted civilian infrastructure and national property at al-Makha port. Initial reports confirmed that four civilians were killed and a number of fishing boats were set ablaze. An unnamed military official from the Yemeni government told AFP that the death toll could be as high as at least eight, including two security personnel.
On the Houthi side, the group claimed it had attacked targets it described as weapons depots and warships of Saudi-backed forces and “mercenaries” at al-Makha with a large number of ballistic missiles, destroying vessels and weapons.
The escalation comes amid broader regional instability linked to the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, with the Houthis emerging as a key front, raising fears that Yemen could return to large-scale conflict.
In a separate development, the Houthi-run SABA news agency, citing a military source, said the group used drones to strike a facility of the Saudi oil giant Aramco in the city of Najran. According to the source, the attack was retaliation for Saudi military aircraft entering the airspace northeast of Yemen's Saada province. The report did not specify the target or extent of damage. Saudi officials and Aramco have not yet confirmed.
The attacks follow a Houthi claim on Thursday that it had used two drones to strike an Aramco refinery in Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Yemen's situation remains complex as talks between the U.S. and Iran remain deadlocked. Over the weekend, Iran's Supreme National Security Council demanded that the U.S. lift the blockade, remove sanctions, withdraw troops, and pay reparations. President Donald Trump countered by demanding compensation from Iran, as Iran and Oman near a deal on a new shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.
