Saudi coalition hits Houthi arms smuggling route in Hodeidah

The Saudi-led coalition announced that on Friday, 16 October 2026, it targeted a maritime arms-smuggling operation for the Houthis, allies of the Islamic Republic, in Hodeidah province in western Yemen. Major General Turki al-Maliki, the coalition's spokesman, released a video of about six minutes that, according to the coalition, shows weapons being unloaded on Yemen's coast, moved with military vehicles, and an air strike on trucks, small boats and warehouses.

According to the coalition, the Houthis use organised criminal groups to deliver these weapons, and part of the shipments is sent to Yemen's islands. Al-Maliki said the coalition strikes these networks on land and sinks them at sea. The coalition gave no details on the type of weapons, the exact targets or the extent of the damage, and these claims have not been independently confirmed.

Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and the British warning

The operation follows a war that the Houthis have expanded since late September, with attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities. The coalition had earlier said Riyadh's King Khalid airport was targeted 20 times in October and that at least 17 people have been killed; Riyadh sees the escalation of these attacks as the result of encouragement by the Islamic Republic, an accusation that the Islamic Republic's foreign ministry has rejected. On Friday the Houthis also fired two missiles at Aden airport.

On Friday Britain's foreign ministry raised its travel advice and asked its citizens not to travel to Saudi Arabia except in essential cases. According to the ministry, since 13 July the Houthis have fired missiles and drones at several locations in Saudi Arabia, and further attacks on airports and cancelled flights are highly likely; Britain advised citizens planning to leave to travel overland to neighbouring countries and fly from there. London also warned that the possibility of new attacks by the Islamic Republic remains.

Trump: Saudi Arabia will accept Israel's help

US President Donald Trump also told reporters at the White House on Friday that he thinks Saudi Arabia will accept Israel's help against the Houthis. He said the Abraham Accords are back on the table and that Saudi Arabia is pleased with American and Israeli help. Trump had earlier said the United States is considering joining Saudi Arabia's military operation against the Houthis.

The Saudi coalition says it targeted the arms-smuggling network of the Houthis, allies of the Islamic Republic, on land and at sea in Hodeidah.