Saudi Arabia has urged all parties involved in the escalating conflict in Yemen to exercise "utmost restraint" following Israeli airstrikes on Houthi targets in the port city of Hodeidah. The strikes, which took place on Saturday, came just a day after the Houthis, designated as a terrorist group by several countries, claimed responsibility for a drone attack that killed one person in Tel Aviv.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed "deep concern" over the "military escalation" in Yemen, stating that the Israeli strikes "have intensified current tensions in the region and are detrimental to ongoing efforts to end the war in Gaza."

The statement urged all parties to "refrain from actions that could escalate the situation and endanger the region and its people." It also called on the international community and influential parties to play their roles and fulfill their responsibilities to end conflicts in the region.

Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its commitment to ending the war in Gaza and its continued support for peace efforts in Yemen, aiming to spare the Yemeni people further suffering and ensure security and peace in the region.

This is the first known Israeli airstrike on Yemen, from which the Houthis have launched drone and missile attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, targeting ships they claim to be linked to Israel or bound for Israeli ports.

On Saturday, the Saudi Ministry of Defense spokesperson, Turki Al-Maliki, denied rumors that the kingdom had allowed Israel to use its airspace to strike the Houthis. Al-Maliki stated that "the Kingdom has no involvement or participation in the targeting of Hodeidah, and the Kingdom will not allow any violation of its airspace by any party."

The airstrikes on Saturday triggered powerful explosions in Hodeidah, with Houthi media reporting that oil storage facilities in the port were targeted, resulting in casualties.

The Israeli military later confirmed its involvement, stating that its "warplanes carried out strikes on targets belonging to the Houthi regime in the Hodeidah port area in Yemen." The strikes were described as a "response to the Houthi attacks over the past months."

On Friday, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that an Israeli citizen was killed and 10 others were injured after a drone crashed in Tel Aviv. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as "unprecedented."