Houthis launch attack on Saudi airbase as Gulf states postpone Iran talks
Yemen’s Houthis said they launched missiles and drones at a Saudi airbase, while Gulf Arab states postponed planned talks with Iran.
Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said they launched dozens of missiles and drones at a military airbase in southern Saudi Arabia on Monday, as Gulf Arab states postponed planned talks with Iran.
The developments raised concerns that the Middle East conflict could spread further and disrupt global oil supplies.
Attack on Saudi airbase
The Houthis said they targeted aircraft hangars, radar systems, runways and ammunition depots at the airbase in Khamis Mushait.
The group said the attack was retaliation for Saudi airstrikes in Yemen.
Strait of Hormuz tanker report disputed
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker, identified as El Gaia, exploded and caught fire after colliding with mines in what it described as a prohibited zone south of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Fars news agency reported on Monday.
The report did not specify when the incident occurred. U.S. Central Command said the account was false, stating that the tanker was struck by an Iranian missile last month and rendered inoperable. Reuters could not immediately contact the vessel’s owners in Dubai to verify either account.
Shipping and oil supply concerns
The Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil shipping route, has been mostly shut down since the war began on February 28, after Iran threatened vessels transiting the waterway without its authority.
Iran said El Gaia was among 77 ships it accused of violating operating protocols in Hormuz, warning that they could face fines, detention or confiscation during future transits.
“The IRGC Navy firmly declares that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and still under our smart control,” the Revolutionary Guards said.
The International Maritime Organization has reported 79 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, resulting in the deaths of 22 seafarers.
Regional infrastructure attacks
The Houthis have advanced rapidly in Yemen in recent days, capturing territory including Perim Island at the mouth of the Red Sea on Friday.
A separate attack on Friday, which Riyadh blamed on Iran-backed fighters in Iraq, knocked out Saudi Arabia’s east-west pipeline, a key route enabling Gulf oil exports to bypass the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.
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