Houthis claimed on Sunday they used drones and missiles to attack a military base in southern Saudi Arabia, targeting weapons depots and command centers, according to a statement by Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree on X. The attack occurred during renewed fighting with Yemeni government forces, which are backed by Saudi Arabia. The date of the operation was not specified. The clashes have intensified this week between the Iran-allied Houthis and Yemeni government forces, which have launched airstrikes in the Taiz region and the Red Sea city of Mocha.

The Yemeni military reported on Sunday that its Air Force had conducted three airstrikes against Houthi positions in the Taiz region, targeting what it described as terrorist Houthi groups. The government news agency Saba also reported that Yemeni forces had destroyed vehicles and weapons and killed members of the Houthi militia near the port of Mocha. The Houthis, in turn, claimed that Saudi enemy aircraft had conducted 129 airstrikes on areas under their control over the past 48 hours.

The renewed fighting follows a week-long Houthi offensive that resulted in the group capturing the remainder of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and several strategic islands, securing their hold on the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This waterway has become a critical route for Saudi Arabian oil exports after Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted Gulf shipments. The Houthis have also declared their own maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports.

Separately, state-run media reported that an Iranian commercial vessel was struck near Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, with one person killed and three wounded. The US military has not commented on the incident, though it has previously targeted Iranian-flagged vessels in the region. Maritime trackers also reported an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about Iran-related threats to energy supplies. The British navy-affiliated UKMTO reported a projectile hit a vessel in the strait, though the extent of damage and crew status remained unknown.

Civilian displacement has surged as fighting intensifies. The UN’s migration agency reported that 76,000 people had fled the fighting since July, a figure that had quadrupled since last week. Over 1,400 people had fled to Djibouti, according to Yemen’s minister of economy and finance, Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh. The conflict has killed more than 500 people, according to sources on both sides. In Sana’a, Houthi supporters celebrated the release of 210 prisoners held in areas under their control.

US President Donald Trump acknowledged speaking to the de facto Saudi leader but did not elaborate on whether Washington would take action against the Houthis. In 2025, the US conducted a seven-week bombing campaign against the Houthis in response to their attacks on Red Sea shipping, which ended with a ceasefire. The Houthis have since resumed attacks on ships in the Red Sea after declaring their maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia.