Houthis Claim Strikes on Saudi Aramco Sites as Reports says US Delays Major Attack on Iran

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Yemen's Houthi military spokesperson announced Saturday that the group had launched two large-scale military operations targeting Saudi Aramco facilities in Jizan and Yanbu, describing the attacks as retaliation for overnight Arab coalition airstrikes on Yemen's Hodeidah province, while an Israeli media report said the United States had postponed a planned large-scale strike against Iran to allow additional time for diplomacy.

Speaking in a recorded video statement on Saturday, Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for Yemen's armed forces affiliated with the Houthis, said the operations were carried out in response to coalition airstrikes targeting Hodeidah province, including the city's port and Kamaran Island.

Saree said Houthi forces had conducted two coordinated military operations against targets inside Saudi Arabia as part of what he described as efforts to defend Yemeni territory.

According to the statement, the first operation targeted sensitive sites and facilities belonging to Saudi Arabia's national oil company, Aramco, in the Jizan region using dozens of ballistic missiles and attack drones.

He added that a second operation struck Aramco facilities in the Yanbu industrial area with a combination of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and armed drones.

Saree claimed both operations achieved their objectives "accurately and successfully" and warned that Houthi forces would continue enforcing what he described as a maritime blockade against Saudi shipping in response to attacks on Yemen's infrastructure.

He further warned that the group would continue escalating its response, saying its approach would remain based on "blockade for blockade and escalation for escalation," with further measures depending on developments in the coming days.

The statement followed heavy overnight airstrikes that targeted Hodeidah port and Houthi weapons and ammunition depots after Saudi authorities announced that the Saudi commercial vessel NCC MASA had come under attack in the Red Sea.

Separately, Israeli news outlet Yedioth Ahronoth (Ynet) reported on Saturday that Israel had completed preparations for a large-scale US airstrike against Iran that had been expected to take place overnight.

According to the report, Israeli officials were later informed that US President Donald Trump had postponed the operation and decided to give Tehran what was described as a final opportunity before military action.

The report said Oman and Qatar exerted significant pressure on Iranian officials to demonstrate greater flexibility before any military operation began.

According to Ynet, the mediation efforts resulted in the first night in 13 days without the United States announcing new strikes against Iran.

An Israeli source quoted in the report described Trump's position by saying: "Trump does not want to attack, and he is moving toward this decision only because he feels there are no other options left."

Despite the reported delay, the outlet said Israeli assessments had not changed, with officials continuing to believe that the chances of reaching a lasting agreement with Iran remain "zero." The report added that Israeli officials believe Tehran's recent actions were aimed only at buying more time before potential military action.