Saudi-led coalition airstrikes strike Sanaa after evacuation warning for Houthi-held fuel sites

Saudi-led coalition aircraft carried out fresh strikes on Houthi-held Sanaa on Tuesday, residents and Al Masirah reported. Loud blasts were heard hours after attacks on the al-Suhaba fuel facility west of the city. The raids added pressure to a growing Middle East crisis. The strikes followed an unusual public warning that urged people to leave a key site.

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Before the explosions, the coalition advised civilians to evacuate the Yemeni Oil Company location and nearby storage areas. The facility sits on a hill above the capital. Houthi officials signalled they expected the threat. The oil company said tanks were empty and supplies would not be hit. Even so, residents reported queues at petrol stations.

Saudi-led coalition strikes in Sanaa after evacuation warning

After the coalition message, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree posted a warning on Telegram. Saree said any Saudi attack on Sanaa would bring retaliation in Riyadh. It remained unclear whether Tuesday’s strikes meant a broader offensive. They could also reflect a limited answer to recent attacks on Riyadh’s airport.

Adam Baron, a fellow at the Washington-based New America Institute, said the approach suggested a bid to raise pressure. Baron said the Saudis aimed to hit central Houthi-controlled areas. Baron also said the warning tried to frame the coalition as more careful. "It may be a warning -- or it may be a sign of things to come, he said.\"

Saudi Arabia air defences and Houthi attacks near Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Saudi Arabia was still working to learn why air defences missed a wave of Houthi missiles and drones. That barrage included a Saturday strike on Riyadh’s international airport. The airport attack killed at least 13 people and injured over 300. On Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition said three drones were intercepted north of Riyadh.

The Associated Press could not independently verify the coalition claim about the intercepted drones. Saudi Arabia has also sought more direct US military support against the Houthis. The United States has shared intelligence and helped with target planning. However, the US has avoided launching its own strikes on the Houthis so far.

The current Saudi-Houthi clash started last month after the rebels seized key areas by the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The passage is vital for moving Gulf oil and other goods. It lies at the southern end of the Red Sea, off Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition, backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government, has tried to regain control.

Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet issued a warning on Tuesday, carried by state-owned Al-Ekhbariya television. \"The Kingdom will not allow any threat to its security or to freedom of maritime navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Cabinet said in a statement carried by Saudi state-owned Al-Ekhbariya television.\" The Bab el-Mandeb also matters to oil flows from the Persian Gulf.

Houthi attacks in Taiz and fighting near Bab el-Mandeb Strait

In Yemen, fighting also intensified around Taiz in the southwest. Yemen’s interior ministry said Houthi strikes over the past day killed six people and injured 18. The statement was posted on X. Battles continued in the area as both sides fought for influence. Taiz has remained a long-contested target in the war.

A commander with Saudi-backed forces said Houthi units reached Taiz’s edges despite heavy resistance. The commander said some fighters had entered the city. The commander called the moment decisive for Taiz’s fate. Speaking anonymously, the commander said the rebel force size was larger than expected. The commander also cited medium- and short-range ballistic missiles.

The commander said the harshest clashes focused on the Kahboub mountains. The high ground overlooks Bab al-Mandeb and Aden, the seat of the internationally backed government. The commander said reinforcements were requested as pressure rose. Control of the area can shape access to the waterway and nearby territory. The fighting added to wider regional tension.

Houthi warnings, Saudi Arabia airspace, and regional diplomacy

Earlier Tuesday, Houthi-run media reported another warning about using Saudi airspace. Several airlines have paused flights to the kingdom after attacks on airports. In a statement carried by the Houthi-controlled SABA news agency, the Houthi-run foreign ministry called Saudi Arabia the \"Kingdom of the Horn of Satan\". The statement also said security and sovereignty must be shared.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged an immediate end to attacks on Saudi Arabia. \"There is no justification for these attacks, and they cannot be accepted, Abdelatty told Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a phone call Tuesday.\" Egypt’s readout said Abdelatty also pressed for diplomacy. The call referenced a political route on Iran and the United States.

Observers said the risk now includes disruption around Bab el-Mandeb if the conflict deepens. A larger US role could drive the Houthis to try blocking shipping through the strait. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition continued strikes and air defence activity. In Yemen, battles near Taiz and the Kahboub mountains also continued. The combined fronts kept pressure on regional security.

With inputs from PTI