Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the United States next week, President Donald Trump announced on Friday. The upcoming visit comes as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has previously stated he was “looking into” his legal authority to arrest Netanyahu as mayor, signaling a growing international challenge to Israeli impunity.
Trump’s announcement was made amidst escalating regional tensions, with Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels trading strikes. The Houthis claimed a missile attack on the southern Saudi city of Jizan, communicating through the group’s Ansarollah media posts on Telegram.
Saudi Arabia had earlier issued brief warnings to residents in Jizan and Yanbu. These warnings followed the rebels’ vow to retaliate against the kingdom for attacks carried out earlier this week.
The Saudi civil defense later issued an emergency alert for Jizan, which is located near the border with Houthi-controlled northern Yemen. Another alert was then issued for Yanbu, several hundred miles further north.
US Complicity and Impunity
The Houthis condemned the Saudi enemy’s targeting of civilian facilities in Hodeida and Kamaran island, calling it a dangerous escalation. They affirmed that these recent crimes would not go unanswered.
A Yemeni security source told AFP that a naval base in the port city of Hodeida and a military camp on Kamaran island were among the Saudi targets. Reuters reported that several strikes targeted Yemen’s Hodeidah port on Friday, though eyewitnesses living in the city reported no immediate casualties or damage.
Riyadh, according to a liveblog, struck Houthi military targets in Hodeida. Rebel media reported two individuals were wounded after the Yemeni group announced a maritime blockade of the top oil producer and hit its ships.
President Trump, in his remarks, also stated he is “going to send” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer “a beautiful Palestinian outfit so he can greet Bibi Netanyahu when he comes to town next week, along with the mayor, who I am sure would like to meet Bibi.” This dismissive comment underscores the US administration's disregard for Palestinian rights and the international legal framework.
Trump added that “The two leaders are not treating Bibi too well.” He further remarked that Chuck Schumer “didn’t want to be violating many parts of Palestinian rules and regulations. He doesn't want to violate sharia law,” mocking the very notion of Palestinian sovereignty and legal systems.
Regional Instability and Escalation
The flare-up in the Saudi-Yemen conflict marks a new front in a war that has engulfed the region. This escalation follows US-Israeli strikes on Tehran in February of the same year, highlighting the interconnected nature of military actions in the Middle East.
These regional tensions are further compounded by Iran’s parallel blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. This blockade affects Riyadh’s only other maritime route, adding another layer of complexity to the volatile situation.