DUBAI (Agencies) – Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks on a Red Sea port and an Aramco facility in southwestern Saudi Arabia, adding to growing tensions across the Middle East.
The Houthis said they targeted the Saudi Aramco refinery in Jazan with a drone, while Yemeni authorities reported a separate attack on the Red Sea port of Mokha.
According to Yemen’s National Resistance Forces, at least seven people were killed and 15 civilians injured in the attacks on Mokha. The casualties could not be independently verified from the information available.
A Yemeni government official said the port came under missile and drone attacks that damaged buildings, parts of the pier and commercial supplies, including food stocks.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree later claimed that the group had launched a large-scale missile and drone operation against what he described as military facilities and warehouses around Mokha.
The Houthis also claimed responsibility for targeting an Aramco refinery in Jazan. Saree said the strike was carried out in response to alleged Saudi drone activity over Yemen’s Hajjah and Saada provinces.
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry confirmed that a fire broke out at a facility linked to the Aramco refinery in Jazan. The ministry said the blaze was brought under control and reported no casualties, but did not publicly attribute the cause of the fire to the Houthi attack.
The latest developments have raised concerns about a renewed escalation in Yemen, where a truce reached in 2022 significantly reduced large-scale fighting between the warring sides.
Hormuz reopening talks remain uncertain
The latest Houthi attacks come as diplomatic efforts continue over the future of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a major route for international oil and gas shipments.
Iran and Oman are reportedly working on arrangements that could allow commercial vessels to resume passage through the strait under a temporary framework.
People familiar with the discussions said ships could use designated routes close to the Iranian and Omani sides of the waterway. The proposed arrangement could also allow vessels to pass without paying transit fees during an interim period.
However, Iranian officials have stressed that reaching an agreement on shipping routes would not automatically mean the full reopening of the strait.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said discussions with Oman over maritime routes were nearing completion but maintained that reopening the waterway depended on additional conditions.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has reportedly demanded an end to the conflict, guarantees against future US threats, the lifting of restrictions on Iranian ports and the withdrawal of US forces from the region.
Araghchi said Tehran and Washington were continuing to exchange messages through intermediaries but argued that formal negotiations could not resume until what Iran describes as violations of previous understandings were addressed.
US seeks faster weapons production
Meanwhile, the United States is moving to accelerate weapons and ammunition production as its military stockpiles face additional pressure from the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the department was focused on increasing munitions procurement and speeding up deliveries to meet military requirements.
A recent analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies warned that the conflict has placed additional pressure on US stocks of advanced missile interceptors.
The Pentagon has described the effort as part of a broader programme to modernise and expand defence production, although the current conflict has increased the urgency surrounding weapons supplies.
Iran releases video of supreme leader
Iranian state-linked media also released an undated video apparently showing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
The footage could not be independently verified for its date or location. Iranian media did not immediately provide a clear explanation for why the video was released.
Khamenei has remained largely out of public view, with reports previously indicating that he suffered serious injuries during the conflict.
Israel maintains position on Gaza withdrawal
In another major Middle East development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not withdraw its forces from Gaza until Hamas is disarmed.
Speaking during a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said Israel was continuing discussions with the United States over proposals for Gaza’s future.
He indicated that Israel supported some elements of the US proposals but disagreed with others, while maintaining that Hamas disarmament remained a key condition for any Israeli military withdrawal.
The position adds another complication to efforts aimed at securing a long-term political and security arrangement for Gaza.
With Houthi attacks, uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz, continuing US-Iran tensions and disagreements over Gaza occurring simultaneously, the latest developments underline the increasingly interconnected nature of security and shipping risks across the Middle East.
