Houthi Rebels Launch Missiles and Drones at Yemeni Port City of Mokha

Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi-backed government forces in the Yemeni port city of Mokha on Sunday, describing the attack as a tit-for-tat response to the kingdom’s “aggression.”

Fighting in civil war-torn Yemen intensified last week, prompting fears of further disruptions to global energy supplies in the wake of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the US war with Iran.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the latest barrage came in response to the “mobilization” of government troops in Mokha and what he described as the continuing “unjust siege” of Yemen by the Saudis. Yemeni government-aligned media reported that at least seven civilians were killed and around 35 injured.

The Houthis launched coordinated attacks on government troops on Thursday, killing or wounding up to 60 soldiers, according to AFP. The group also declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia and targeted ships in and around the Red Sea.

The Saudi Energy Ministry confirmed on Sunday that a fire broke out following a strike on a facility belonging to state oil company Aramco in the kingdom’s southern Jazan province. In a statement to RT, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti demanded that Riyadh end “the occupation and blockade” of Yemen.

“Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia continues to act arrogantly and insists on occupying Yemen and maintaining the blockade. Therefore, we have established the equation of aggression for aggression, and blockade for blockade,” he added.

Al-Bukhaiti said the strike on the Aramco site was a response to Saudi Arabia’s violation of Yemeni airspace over the Saada and Hajjah regions.

The Houthis control much of western Yemen, including the country’s capital, Sanaa. Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a military intervention in support of the internationally recognized government. Fighting decreased significantly after a UN-mediated truce took effect in April 2022, although the formal agreement expired that October.

The current round of hostilities erupted on July 13, when government forces bombed a runway at Sanaa airport to prevent an Iranian plane carrying a Houthi delegation from landing. The delegation was returning from the funeral of Iran’s longtime supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed during US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.

The UN Security Council has condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and commercial ships in the region, as well as “unauthorized landings of aircraft” in territory not under government control.