'Houthis have their own issues': Pezeshkian says Iran not at war with Saudi Arabia

Houthi rebels in Yemen announced on Sunday that they had launched missile and drone attacks on a Saudi military base near the kingdom's border with the Red Sea, as the group seeks to expand its influence along the Red Sea coast. The attacks follow Saudi Arabia's recent pressure from Iran-aligned groups on multiple fronts. US President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that Iran was likely responsible for an attack on the kingdom's East-West oil pipeline, while asserting that the Houthis did not wish to engage militarily with the US.

Trump expressed confidence that the situation would be resolved, citing his relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Saudi Civil Defence reported that a Houthi projectile struck the Al Tuwal governorate in Jazan, injuring two people and damaging a mosque, several buildings, and vehicles. The rebels condemned the assault on civilian infrastructure as a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law."

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group targeted weapons depots and command-and-control centers at a base in Sharurah, also near the Red Sea border. Saudi authorities have not yet confirmed the Houthi claims. The assaults come after the Houthis seized the strategic Red Sea port of Mokha on Thursday, following days of conflict with Saudi-backed government forces.

The rebels have since advanced beyond Mokha, capturing Dhubab, the last major town on Yemen's western coast, and taking control of Perim Island in the Bab Al Mandeb strait. The gains grant the Houthis control of Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline and a dominant position around Bab Al Mandeb, a narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Perim divides the strait into two shipping channels, providing whoever controls it with a strategic vantage point to monitor vessels entering and leaving the Red Sea. Maritime traffic has been impacted by the Houthis, with only 15 vessels crossing Bab Al Mandeb on Friday, down from 30 the day prior. Six ships exited the Red Sea while nine entered, carrying cargoes including crude, grains, and steel.

Saudi Arabia is increasingly reliant on the Red Sea as an alternative route for oil exports, following the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz due to the ongoing US-Iran conflict. Additionally, Saudi Arabia faces pressure on an alternative oil route, as the kingdom temporarily shut its East-West oil pipeline following a drone attack launched from Iraq.

The pipeline has become crucial for transporting crude towards the Red Sea and reducing the kingdom's dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthi advance poses a new strategic challenge for the US, which has been providing intelligence support to Saudi Arabia but has avoided direct military intervention in Yemen. Saudi-backed Yemeni forces have attempted to retaliate against the Houthis, with Saudi forces reportedly striking Houthi vehicles and fighters near Mokha and along the Mokha-Dhubab road.

In response, Houthi media reported Saudi strikes on Mokha airport. The rapid Houthi advance has also triggered a displacement crisis, with the UN migration agency estimating that approximately 46,000 people were displaced by Friday. Djibouti reported receiving around 1,400 refugees from Yemen within a 24-hour period on Saturday.