Houthis say Saudi Arabia carried out 54 airstrikes in Yemen in 24 hours

Houthi fighters claimed on Monday that Saudi Arabia had carried out 54 airstrikes on Yemen in the space of twenty-four hours. This announcement comes as the pro-Iranian movement has inflicted serious setbacks on Yemeni government forces and the Saudi coalition in recent days.

According to Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, “Saudi criminal aviation carried out 54 airstrikes in the past 24 hours using F-15 and Typhoon aircraft that took off from Saudi bases.” The bombings mainly targeted the regions of Taiz, Lahj, Al-Jawf, Marib and Hodeida.

A direct response to Houthi attacks

These strikes come after a series of advances by the Houthis, who have strengthened their hold on the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait, a major passage for maritime trade between Europe and Asia. The movement claimed responsibility on Monday for a “large-scale” attack carried out using dozens of ballistic missiles and drones against the King Khalid air base in Khamis Mushait, in southern Saudi Arabia.

Our file on the war in Iran

This new surge in tensions is particularly worrying as the Houthis have also targeted Saudi oil infrastructure, helping to push the price of oil above $100. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received the head of American Centcom, Brad Cooper, in Jeddah on Monday to discuss the regional situation, before a trip planned for Tuesday to Egypt. Riyadh would particularly seek to strengthen coordination around the security of Bab el-Mandeb, while Iran continues to deny any direct involvement in Houthi operations.