Houthi attacks, Saudi conditions, and Trump's Hormuz claim reshape regional dynamics

Houthi strikes on Saudi airport, Saudi normalization demands, and Trump's Hormuz announcement signal a volatile Middle East.

Houthi attacks, Saudi conditions, and Trump's Hormuz claim reshape regional dynamics — Houthi forces launched missile strikes on Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport on Monday, hours after Saudi airstrikes on their positions in Yemen.[^1] The attack, confirmed by the Iranian Tasnim news agency, was described as retaliation for earlier strikes on Sana'a.[^2] The Houthi political bureau called it "barbaric aggression" and a violation of sovereignty.[^3] The assault led to a sharp 6% surge in oil prices, underscoring the vulnerability of energy infrastructure to the ongoing conflict.[^4] Separately, Saudi Arabia has conveyed to the US its conditions for normalization with Israel, including the replacement of Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister after future elections and the reversal of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's decisions in Judea and Samaria.[^5] This comes as Dr. Nissim Katz believes that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strengthened Ankara's position in relations with the Trump administration, suggesting Israel needs to reconsider its strategy of engagement with Washington.[^6] Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump stated that the US is taking control of the Strait of Hormuz and will charge a fee for passage. The announcement, which could reshape global energy routes, adds another layer of complexity to an already tense region. The Houthis also attempted to attack a commercial tanker in the Red Sea hours after the Saudi airstrikes, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations. How will Saudi Arabia's conditions for normalization—especially the demand for Netanyahu's replacement—affect Israel's political calculus, and can the US simultaneously manage the Strait of Hormuz and mediate between Riyadh and Jerusalem? CENTCOM uses naval drones for first time in Iran strikes — The US Central Command announced today that it carried out a targeted strike last night against a submarine and ship maintenance facility at the Iranian naval base in Bandar Abbas, using three one-way attack sea drones of the "Corsair" model.[^1] This is the first time CENTCOM has deployed such naval drones in strikes against Iran.[^2] The strike follows Iranian attack