Yemen's Houthi movement has threatened to strike Saudi Arabia's oil facilities and critical infrastructure if hostilities escalate, following a recent exchange of attacks that has raised tensions between the two sides.

Houthis Warn of Retaliatory Strikes

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said Saudi oil installations and other vital infrastructure would become targets for the group's missiles and drones if Riyadh expands its military operations against Yemen.

In a televised address, he also warned that Saudi airports could be targeted in response to any further attacks on Sanaa International Airport, saying the group would respond based on the principle of airports for airports, ports for ports, and a blockade for a blockade.

Escalation After Airport Strike

The warning follows an exchange of attacks earlier this week. The Iran-backed Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa airport on Monday and said they responded by targeting an airport inside the kingdom.

The exchange marked the most serious escalation between the two sides since a UN-brokered truce took effect in 2022.

Dispute Over Flights to Sanaa

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government, based in Aden, said the strike on Sanaa airport was intended to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing.

For more than a decade, flights entering Yemeni airspace have required approval from the Saudi-led coalition, which says it enforces the restrictions at the request of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

The recent operation came amid growing tensions over direct flights between Iran and Houthi-controlled Sanaa, which the Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia oppose.

On Tuesday, the Houthis also claimed they had shot down a Saudi-operated reconnaissance drone.