Houthis Fire Missiles at Saudi Arabia Amid Escalation Over Hodeida

The Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group in Yemen, fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia on Saturday in response to airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea city of Hodeida. The attack targeted facilities of Aramco, the world's largest oil company, in the Red Sea cities of Yanbu and Jizan.

The Houthis' military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said the strike was a response to Saudi airstrikes on Hodeida, which hit the city's port as well as the state-run telecommunications corporation, injuring two people.

The rising tension in the Red Sea has threatened to further choke global shipping, as the Houthis have said they would close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Saudi-linked shipping. The strait is a vital shipping chokepoint, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, and around 12% of the world's trade passes through it.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called for 'diplomacy and dialogue' to solve the Yemen conflict without 'military confrontations', while the US Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment.