Saudi-led coalition says it struck 324 Houthi targets in Yemen
The Saudi-led coalition says it hit 324 Houthi targets with 100 jets, as Yemeni government forces claim contested gains near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Saudi-led coalition strikes Houthi targets in Yemen
The Saudi-led coalition says it has destroyed more than 300 Houthi targets in Yemen, with Saudi authorities putting the number at 324. The coalition says 100 fighter jets took part in the operation and that it is providing air cover for Yemeni armed forces operating on the ground. The operation is focused around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
The strikes are meant to reverse recent Houthi advances, including gains last month. The Iranian-backed Houthis, who control a significant part of Yemen, have captured more territory in southwestern Yemen, especially along the coastline of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Some reports say they have seized another town as they continue to advance towards a key city. The waterway is a key route for oil and gas exports from the Middle East. It is also important for Saudi oil shipments, particularly after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the Iran-US war.
There had been a four-year ceasefire between the Houthis and the internationally recognised Yemeni government backed by Saudi Arabia, with a relative state of calm. In recent months that has changed. Fighting has increased, and the Houthis have targeted other nations and some vessels operated by the Saudis. The Houthis have also gained territory around the waterway.
On the ground, Yemen's de facto leader in the south, Rashad Al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council, announced a general mobilisation against the Houthis. He set out measures for conscription of Yemenis in non-Houthi held areas. Yemeni government forces say they have seized strategic positions on the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and driven Houthi fighters back from the waterway. They also say they have taken back the important port town of Zubeb. Those reports are contested. Live conflict trackers and maps still show Zubeb under Houthi control, and the situation is moving quickly.
The coalition operation appears to be led by Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council. So far, the United States and Western European countries, including France and the UK, have not joined. Those countries have previously taken part in air and naval operations against the Houthis in the Red Sea. The anti-Houthi forces on the ground remain divided. There are disagreements between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which has backed a southern secessionist group that was fighting Saudi Arabia at the end of last year. Analysts question whether these groups can unite as one force against the Houthis, who are seen as more homogeneous. Saudi Arabia has spent years fighting in Yemen without defeating the Houthis.
The immediate strategic concern is Saudi Arabia's oil and natural resource exports. Recent attacks on an oil pipeline have highlighted the risk to shipments that would once have gone through the Strait of Hormuz and now cross the desert to Red Sea ports. Saudi Arabia had in some ways benefited from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz because it could still export through the Bab al-Mandeb. Without that advantage, it faces a tighter situation.
There are also fears that renewed chaos could be exploited by al-Qaeda elements in Yemen. The United States has run many operations against al-Qaeda during the war, and although the group is not as strong as it was earlier in the conflict, instability can create opportunities for it.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 2 channels | ||
| Saudi forces reported attacking 324 high-value targets in Yemen, with 100 fighter jets taking part and providing air cover for Yemeni forces on the ground. | ||
| Yemeni leader Rashad Al-Alimi announced a general mobilisation and all-out war against the Houthis, including conscription in non-Houthi areas, in coordination with Saudi Arabia. | Reported by Sky News | |
| Only on one channel | ||
| The Houthis reportedly seized another town as they advanced toward a key city. | Not reported by BBC News | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky led with the Saudi statement as a fast-moving breaking development. It stressed the number of targets and jets, the Houthi territorial advance around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and the threat to Saudi oil exports after the Strait of Hormuz closure. It also flagged reports that the Houthis had seized another town, but gave less room to doubts about the ground picture.
- “They say that they have attacked 324, what they describe as high-value targets, as part of an operation in Yemen.”
- “100 fighter jets took part in a statement over Yemen and that it is providing air cover for the Yemeni armed forces that are operating on the ground.”
- “There had been a four-year ceasefire in Yemen with the Houthis and the internationally recognised government that is backed by the Saudis in a relative state of calm.”
BBC News framed the strikes as part of a wider Saudi and Gulf-led campaign, not a standalone air operation. It gave more space to caveats: the ground gains are contested, Western powers are absent, anti-Houthi forces are divided, and the fighting carries risks around oil routes and al-Qaeda. Its expert interview added context on Saudi-UAE rivalry and the limits of past Saudi operations.
- “A coalition led by Saudi Arabia says its forces have destroyed more than 300 Houthi targets in Yemen as it tries to reverse the rebels' advances last month.”
- “Now, those are contested reports. If we're looking at live conflict trackers and maps, that still says it's under Houthi control”
- “It seems to be very much a Saudi and Gulf Cooperation Council led operation”
Broadcast Timeline
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