Middle East in Turmoil: Houthis Attack Saudi Arabia, Ceasefire Collapses

The informal ceasefire that had contained the conflict on the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border for more than four years has finally collapsed. The Iran-backed Houthi group launched renewed missile strikes into Saudi territory after accusing Riyadh of bombing the airport they control in Sanaa on Monday (13/7/2026) local time. This attack marks the first claimed by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia since the informal truce took effect in March 2022, following a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure several years ago. A spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen said the kingdom’s air defence systems successfully intercepted the missiles fired by the Houthis. “The missiles launched by the Houthi terrorist militia towards the southern region were intercepted,” the coalition spokesman said via the X platform. Meanwhile, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated they deliberately targeted Abha International Airport in the southern mountainous region of Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen directly. The airport is located in an area popular with Saudi residents seeking to escape the summer heat. This latest attack threatens to reignite conflict on Saudi Arabia’s southern border, after the kingdom’s security situation had relatively calmed following the Iran ceasefire last April, which halted drone and missile attacks on eastern Saudi Arabia and Riyadh. Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia’s geographical position makes it relatively more resilient than other Gulf states during conflict. The kingdom can still export oil via pipelines from the eastern region to the western coast on the Red Sea without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. However, renewed escalation with the Houthis could potentially disrupt this route. The Houthi group has previously been known to attack commercial vessels in the Red Sea, raising concerns over the security of international trade routes. Prior to launching the missile strikes, the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of conducting air strikes on Sanaa International Airport, which is under their control. The group, which controls most of northern Yemen, called the attack an act of open aggression and declared the period of de-escalation over. The Houthis also warned all airlines against using Saudi Arabian airspace until what they termed the “siege” of Sanaa Airport is lifted. On the other hand, Yemen’s internationally recognised government claimed responsibility for the strike on Sanaa Airport. The government, which is strongly backed by Riyadh, said the runway was targeted to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing and violating Yemeni sovereignty. Yemen’s Ministry of Defence stated the government would take action against any aircraft deemed to be violating the country’s airspace. “The government will respond to any hostile aircraft violating Yemeni airspace with all available means,” the ministry said, as reported by Reuters. A Yemeni military spokesman later said the aircraft eventually landed at Hodeidah Airport, also under Houthi control, approximately 150 kilometres southwest of Sanaa on the Red Sea coast. It is not yet known whether there was any attempt to prevent the aircraft from landing in Hodeidah. Tensions also rose after a Yemeni government minister stated the Houthis had detained an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) aircraft at Sanaa Airport. ICRC Middle East spokesman Hachem Osseiran confirmed all staff and crew were safe. “All ICRC staff and crew are safe and accounted for,” he told Reuters, while declining to comment further. In recent days, ICRC-mediated prisoner exchange efforts between the Houthis and the Yemeni government also failed to materialise. Both sides blamed each other for the failure, highlighting the rising tensions before the latest escalation erupted.