Yemen’s internationally recognised government said the Houthis fired six ballistic missiles at the Red Sea port of Mocha on Friday, killing four civilians, amid an escalation in hostilities between the Iran-aligned group and its Saudi-backed opponents.

The escalation comes at a time of heightened regional tensions over the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, where the Houthis have emerged as a key front, raising the prospect of a return to large-scale conflict in Yemen.

The armed forces aligned with the Yemeni government said the attack targeted civilian infrastructure and national assets at the port. Initial reports said four civilians were killed and several fishing boats were set on fire.

The Houthis said they had attacked what they described as Saudi-backed military build-ups, weapons and warships belonging to Saudi-backed forces and “mercenaries” in Mocha with a large number of ballistic missiles, destroying boats and weapons. Reuters