Houthi rebels strike Saudi airports as coalition launches counteroffensive near key strait

Saudi Arabia confirmed Monday that Houthi rebels struck airports in Najran and Jizan, leaving three people lightly injured. The attacks damaged both facilities and followed a Houthi announcement that it had targeted Saudi military bases and energy infrastructure.

The airport strikes came hours after Saudi-backed coalition forces opened a major counteroffensive near the Bab el-Mandeb strait. The Giants Brigades announced an operation to retake coastal positions seized by the Houthis, targeting the town of Dhubab. Operation commander Al-Alimi stated the campaign aims to restore state institutions and liberate the rebel-held capital of Sanaa.

Escalating cross-border attacks prompted Saudi defence minister Khalid bin Salman to activate the Mecca defence pact. Emergency talks in Riyadh secured an agreement for Turkey and Pakistan to deploy troops to bolster regional security. Houthi rebels rejected claims that they targeted holy sites, calling the allegations Saudi propaganda.

Meanwhile, Iranian military officials painted a different picture of the conflict. Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi claimed US forces had “fled and moved back to positions at least 1,000km from Iran’s borders.” The Iranian army is also expanding domestic mobilization, with thousands of women now receiving training in weapons handling and urban warfare as part of a mass resistance campaign. Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia added that Iran produces new missiles and drones daily and maintains a large stockpile.

The widening conflict has deepened Iran's economic strain. Oil minister Mohsen Paknejad resigned following a parliamentary probe into a nearly $2bn shortfall in state revenues. With food inflation reaching 130 per cent, Tehran mayor Alireza Zakani froze prices for 12 basic goods for six months. Chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated Tehran would reject one-sided demands and keep the Strait of Hormuz closed until its conditions are met.

Diplomatic efforts to contain the crisis are underway. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres arrived in Islamabad for a three-day visit focused on Pakistan's mediation between Washington and Tehran. Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump defended the financial toll of the conflict at a campaign event in Nebraska, calling it a small price to pay and stating the war is “essentially almost over with.”