Yemen’s internationally recognised government forces have launched strikes against Houthi-controlled areas in the capital Sanaa and the northern province of Saada, adding to growing tensions across the region as US President Donald Trump warned Iran that it could face the “easy way or the hard way.”
The latest escalation comes as the wider conflict involving Iran, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement continues to put pressure on key Middle Eastern security and energy routes.
Yemeni forces target Houthi areas
Yemen’s armed forces, which are aligned with the internationally recognised government, said early Sunday that they were carrying out strikes against Houthi positions in Sanaa and Saada.
A military spokesperson said the forces were targeting what he described as “vital targets” belonging to the Houthis, but did not provide further details about the locations hit or report casualty figures.
The Houthi-run Al Masirah television network had earlier reported an attack on Sanaa that it attributed to Saudi Arabia. There was no immediate confirmation from Riyadh regarding that report.
The strikes represent another escalation in fighting between Houthi forces and forces backed by Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Houthi attacks raise regional tensions
The latest strikes followed claims by the Houthis that they had attacked an Aramco facility in Riyadh using missiles and drones.
Reuters reported that a large plume of smoke and fire was seen near a Saudi Aramco facility in the Saudi capital. The Houthis said the operation was carried out in response to Saudi-led strikes in Yemen, although Saudi authorities and Aramco had not immediately confirmed the reported damage.
The exchange has raised concerns about a wider confrontation in the region, particularly because the conflict is unfolding alongside the continuing US-Iran confrontation.
The Houthis have previously targeted Saudi territory and shipping as their conflict with Saudi-backed Yemeni forces has intensified.
Trump warns Tehran
At the same time, President Donald Trump signalled that Washington was approaching a decision on its next steps toward Iran.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Trump said Iran had been severely damaged and warned that Tehran would face a choice between what he called the “easy way” and the “hard way.”
Trump did not specify what decision he was considering. His remarks came after senior US national security officials held a private meeting at Camp David to discuss Iran and the escalating Saudi-Houthi conflict in Yemen.
Trump also claimed that Iran was moving away from plans to develop a nuclear weapon, although tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high.
Yemen conflict becomes part of wider regional crisis
The renewed fighting in Yemen is taking place against the backdrop of a much broader regional confrontation.
The Houthis are aligned with Iran, while Yemen’s internationally recognised government receives support from Saudi Arabia and other regional partners. The conflict had largely remained under a fragile truce after 2022, but hostilities intensified again this year as the wider US-Iran confrontation spread across the region.
The fighting has also raised concerns over the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, major routes for international shipping and energy transportation.
Any prolonged disruption in the region could put additional pressure on shipping costs, energy markets and supply chains.
Civilians caught in escalating fighting
The renewed military operations are also worsening the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
Al Jazeera reported that fighting has displaced more civilians, with families seeking shelter in expanding tent camps as violence intensifies.
The latest developments underline the growing difficulty of containing the Yemen conflict as military operations involving the Houthis, Saudi-backed forces and the wider US-Iran confrontation increasingly overlap.
For now, the scale of damage from the latest strikes remains unclear, and there has been no independently verified assessment of casualties from the attacks on Sanaa and Saada.
Source attribution: This report is based on current reporting from Reuters, Al Jazeera and other contemporary sources. Claims made by the conflicting sides have been identified as such where independent confirmation was not immediately available.
