{
  "id": 7081340,
  "title": "Houthis claim responsibility for new attacks on Saudi Arabia in Red Sea offensive",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/houthis-claim-responsibility-for-new-attacks-on-saudi-arabia-in-red-7081340",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-13T07:08:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/gulf/2026/09/13/houthis-claim-responsibility-for-new-attacks-on-saudi-arabia-in-red-sea-offensive/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Houthi rebels in Yemen announced on Sunday that they had carried out missile and drone strikes targeting a Saudi military base near the kingdom's border. This offensive aims to expand the militia's control along the Red Sea coast. The latest assaults occur as Saudi Arabia faces increasing pressure from Iran-aligned groups on various fronts. US President Donald Trump suggested on Saturday that Iran likely orchestrated an attack on the kingdom's East-West oil pipeline, although he maintained that the Houthis did not desire a confrontation with the US. \"Iran is probably responsible for the attack,\" Mr. Trump stated. He expressed confidence that the situation would be resolved, crediting his relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who denied the rebels' desire to fight against the US. Saudi authorities did not immediately respond to the Houthis' claims. The attacks follow the Houthi seizure of the strategic Red Sea port of Mokha on Thursday following days of clashes with Saudi-backed forces. Since then, the group has advanced beyond Mokha and captured Dhubab, the final significant town on Yemen's western coast, and took control of Perim Island in the middle of the Bab Al Mandeb strait. The Houthi advances now grant them control over Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline and a dominant position around Bab Al Mandeb, the narrow waterway linking 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 continued to be safe, according to the Houthis, but they emphasized that Saudi vessels would still face their restrictions. A ban on Saudi shipping has been in place since July, and the group has claimed numerous attacks on Saudi tankers and oil infrastructure. As a result, shipping through Bab Al Mandeb has been significantly impacted. On Friday, only 15 vessels passed through the strait, compared to 30 the previous day, with six ships departing and nine entering, carrying cargoes such as crude, grains, and steel. Saudi Arabia relies heavily on the Red Sea for alternative oil exports due to the disrupted Strait of Hormuz caused by the broader US-Iran conflict. Saudi Arabia is also facing additional pressure on alternative oil routes. Following a drone attack launched from Iraq, the kingdom briefly shut down its East-West oil pipeline, according to Saudi officials. This pipeline is becoming increasingly crucial for transporting crude towards the Red Sea and lessening Saudi dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. An estimated 1,400 refugees from Yemen arrived in Djibouti within a 24-hour period on Saturday.",
  "summary": "The Houthi rebels in Yemen on Sunday said they had launched missiles and drones towards a Saudi military base near the border with the kingdom, as the Iran-backed militia pushes to expand its hold along the Red Sea coast. The latest attacks come as Saudi Arabia faces pressure from Iran-aligned groups on multiple fronts. US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Iran was probably behind an…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Ynetnews",
        "title": "Trump rebuffs Saudi pleas for strikes as Houthis surge, report says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/trump-rebuffs-saudi-pleas-for-strikes-as-houthis-surge-report-says",
        "published": "2026-09-11T05:45:21.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Yemeni analyst: Houthis make gains but lack staying power on frontlines",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/yemeni-analyst-houthis-make-gains-but-lack-staying-power-on-frontlines",
        "published": "2026-09-13T04:33:05.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "Middle East live: Houthis say hit Saudi base after renewed fighting with Yemeni forces",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/middle-east-live-houthis-say-hit-saudi-base-after-renewed-fighting",
        "published": "2026-09-13T05:11:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "'Houthis have their own issues': Pezeshkian says Iran not at war with Saudi Arabia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/houthis-have-their-own-issues-pezeshkian-says-iran-not-at-war-with",
        "published": "2026-09-13T05:18:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Houthis claim responsibility for new attacks on Saudi Arabia in Red Sea offensive",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/houthis-claim-responsibility-for-new-attacks-on-saudi-arabia-in-red",
        "published": "2026-09-13T07:08:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "Saudi Arabia deports 12,057 people after week-long security crackdown",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/saudi-arabia-deports-12-057-people-after-week-long-security-crackdown",
        "published": "2026-09-13T07:17:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Mosque and homes damaged in Saudi Arabia after alleged Houthi strike",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/mosque-and-homes-damaged-in-saudi-arabia-after-alleged-houthi-strike",
        "published": "2026-09-13T08:13:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Arabian Post",
        "title": "Saudi Arabia halts East-West pipeline after drone strikes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/saudi-arabia-halts-east-west-pipeline-after-drone-strikes",
        "published": "2026-09-13T08:14:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "Iran-backed Houthis claim to hit Saudi base with missiles, drones amid renewed fighting",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/iran-backed-houthis-claim-to-hit-saudi-base-with-missiles-drones-amid",
        "published": "2026-09-13T08:55:53.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}