Houthi rebels report airstrikes in Yemen, and other Middle East developments

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Tuesday accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out overnight airstrikes along Yemen’s northern border with the kingdom and its western coastline. Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to the claim.

The reported strikes came hours after air raid sirens sounded and explosions were heard in the Saudi capital.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Tuesday. Read our full coverage here.

Houthis say airstrikes hit areas in Yemen under their control

The rebel-run al-Masirah satellite television said Tuesday that two airstrikes hit the Houthi-held Red Sea island of Kamaran, while a third hit Qanawis district, 55 kilometers (34 miles) northwest of the port city of Hodeida.

The station also reported airstrikes in the province of Jawf, which borders Saudi Arabia.

Al-Masirah blamed Saudi Arabia for the strikes, but didn’t provide further details.

The rebels also said they shot down a Saudi drone over the Houthi stronghold province of Saada, which is in northern Yemen on the border with Saudi Arabia.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia.

The strikes came hours after Saudi Arabia sounded air raid sirens Monday evening in the capital, Riyadh, and residents heard explosions.

The Houthis also said they fired a ballistic missile toward King Khalid International Airport, which has been hammered by a string of deadly attacks in recent days.

Think tank says Iran targeting ship-to-ship oil transfers

The Institute for the Study of War said Tuesday Iran appears to be targeting vessels carrying out ship-to-ship oil transfers in and near the Strait of Hormuz to hobble their ability to move energy through the strait.

The think tank posted on X that Iran has increased its threats against vessels in the strait in order to reestablish control over the waterway by deterring vessels from using non-Iranian-approved routes.

It also said Iran may be developing its anti-ship missile capabilities to improve its ability to target vessels.

The U.K.'s Maritime Trade Operations Centre posted on X Monday that at least three vessels were attacked by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier. The organization did not identify the ships and there were no immediate claims of responsibility for any of the attacks.

But Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s top security body, told state TV on Saturday that Iranian forces were striking five “smuggling ships” every night on average over recent months.

Rezaei appeared to be referring to U.S. efforts to guide oil shippers through the strait before they are used to transfer oil to larger tankers waiting in the Gulf of Oman.

Airlines warned against using Saudi airspace

International airlines were warned by Yemen’s Houthi-controlled Foreign Ministry on Tuesday that flights to Saudi airports were “unsafe” except those serving the holy sites of Mecca and Medina.

The ministry said the kingdom “must realize that security, stability, and sovereignty must belong to everyone — otherwise, no one will enjoy them,” a statement published by the Houthi-controlled SABA news agency said.

Meanwhile, Air India has announced cancellation of all its flights to and from Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah until Oct. 17.

Israeli strike in Gaza kills 1

An Israeli strike Tuesday killed one person in the Gaza Strip.

Health officials at Shifa Hospital said they received a body that was partially charred. The Israeli military said the strike, in the Tuffah area of Gaza City, targeted a military operative.

The death is the latest since a ceasefire took effect just over a year ago. Nearly 1,500 Palestinians have been killed since then, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between militants and civilians in its count, but says more than half of those killed were women and children.

Egypt, Iran foreign ministers discuss Mideast de-escalation

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called Tuesday for an immediate halt to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Abdelatty said during a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, that there was “no justification for these attacks and they cannot be accepted.”

Abdelatty also urged prioritizing diplomacy and finding a political solution to the conflict between Iran and the U.S. to avert “further escalation and instability” in the region, according to the Egyptian readout of the call.

Turkish, Pakistani top soldiers discuss regional developments

Turkey's Defense Ministry said Tuesday the country's army chief of staff spoke by telephone with his Pakistani counterpart as both countries weigh dispatching military support to Saudi Arabia under a trilateral defense agreement.

The ministry said Turkish Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu and Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, discussed “bilateral relations and regional issues,” without providing details.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said last week that Turkey and Pakistan were considering military support for their ally under the deal but ruled out sending combat troops. He added that Turkey was also trying to resolve the issue through diplomacy.

Qatar's emir urges greater Gulf coordination on security

Qatar’s emir on Tuesday called for closer security coordination among Gulf countries as the conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia escalates following months of Iranian attacks across the region during its war with the U.S. and Israel.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also called for stepped-up efforts to secure maritime routes in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz and energy infrastructure, which has been a main target of attacks since the Iran-U.S. war began on Feb. 28.

Speaking to the Shura Council, the emir accused Israel of committing crimes in Gaza that constitute “genocide,” a charge Israel vehemently denies.

The emir called for holding Israeli officials accountable.

IMF raises global growth forecast but sees fuel price risks

The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday that the global economy held up better than expected in the first half of 2026, but warned that high energy and fuel prices continued to squeeze household incomes.

The IMF's World Economic Outlook projects inflation will rise to 4.7% this year before easing to 4.1% in 2027.

It warned that a prolonged stalemate or further escalation in the Middle East “could keep energy and food prices elevated and volatile, revive inflationary pressures, worsen fiscal and external balances, and weigh on growth.”