Targets approved, bombs loaded & then Trump blinked: Why US pulled back from Houthi strikes

The Houthis commemorated the 2014 takeover of Yemen with a stern warning directed at Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition backing the nation's recognized government. Defense Minister General Nasir Al-Atifi and Chief of General Staff General Yusuf Al-Madani pledged unwavering loyalty to the movement's leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.

They declared readiness to implement strategic decisions aimed at deterring aggressors and safeguarding the nation's assets. The officials emphasized that the successes of Houthi forces in combat are a manifestation of the revolution's objectives to "restore sovereignty and defeat schemes of subjugation." The Shia Islamist group threatened "costly escalatory measures" against Saudi Arabia's core regions and strategic interests, along with a "decisive and earth-shattering response" to any aggression.

The statement asserted that Saudi-linked vessels would face fire and blockade "until they endure the same injustice our people faced." Houthi territorial control in Yemen has expanded, capturing the Red Sea coastline and gaining control over the crucial Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Over the weekend, the Saudi-led coalition confirmed that the Iran-backed group had fired missiles and drones at Riyadh, resulting in a fire near the international airport.

In retaliation, the Kingdom launched airstrikes targeting the provinces of Al-Jawf, Marib, and Taiz, employing F-15 and Typhoon aircraft from Khamis Mushait and Taif air bases. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree reported the offensive, stating that Saudi Arabia had launched over 700 strikes in Yemen since the latest hostilities commenced following years of tenuous peace.

The renewed conflict between the parties erupted on July 13 after a projectile struck Sanaa/Sara Airport, preventing an Iranian plane carrying a Houthi delegation from landing.