Yemen-based Houthi rebels backed by Iran stated they carried out a missile strike on the southern Saudi city of Jizan on Saturday, following their promise to respond to kingdom attacks earlier in the week.

Iran noted an absence of overnight strikes on Saturday for the first time after two weeks of US actions. Tensions stay elevated, with Iranian health ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour stating Iran experienced a peaceful night in a post on X.

A memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran in June appeared to collapse two weeks ago after Iranian tanker attacks in the strait of Hormuz led to US strikes on Iran and subsequent Iranian responses against US allies. The agreement aimed to reopen the strait following its wartime closure by Iran and halt hostilities for 60 days to allow negotiations, yet ongoing combat has blocked progress. Much of the fighting has focused on the strait, a route for one-fifth of global oil and gas before the conflict.

US president Donald Trump threatened broader strikes on Iran after meeting senior national security advisers on Friday to consider escalation options.

He cautioned that targets could expand to civilian sites such as energy plants and bridges, along with a possible ground operation to capture Kharg Island, a major Iranian oil export hub.

There is a military path where we continue as before and increase intensity to eliminate their capabilities, or a smarter route involving a deal, Trump told reporters on Friday.

Iran warned residents of Gulf nations with US military facilities to avoid bases for safety from potential future strikes.

Trump maintained on Friday that talks with Iran were advancing well despite conflict, describing them as the most serious seen so far.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi stated the American stance was blocking peace discussions while affirming Iran would not be intimidated or yield to pressure.

Strains around the strait persisted as the US targeted a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman for breaching its blockade of Iranian ports, and the UK maritime agency noted a tanker incident with military forces on Friday without naming parties involved.

Saudi air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles from Yemen on Saturday, according to Reuters. The projectiles aimed at oil refineries in Yanbu on the Red Sea, and Saudi civil defense issued alerts for Jizan near the Yemen border.

Social media video showed dark clouds over an Aramco refinery in Jizan. A Yemeni security source informed Agence France-Presse that a naval base in Hodeida and a military camp on Kamaran island faced Saudi strikes on Friday. The Houthis labeled the actions a dangerous escalation.

The Iran-aligned Houthi group controlling northern and western Yemen imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea last week after kingdom strikes on Sanaa airport. The Houthis hit two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea on Thursday, leading Trump to threaten major military punishment for Tehran and the Houthis.

The blockade risks further disrupting global energy markets since Saudi Arabia has rerouted millions of barrels via the Red Sea to bypass strait closure. Oil prices exceeded 100 dollars per barrel on Thursday for the first time since May, and shipping insurance costs through the southern Red Sea doubled for some firms.

Araghchi noted on Saturday that no military solution exists for the Saudi-Houthi conflict, which stems from longstanding disputes.

We see no military resolution for Yemen, Bab al-Mandab and other regional matters, Araghchi said in an Iranian newspaper interview, urging more dialogue between sides.

Mediators have sought to sustain talks amid rising combat, with Pakistan and Qatar relaying messages between the US and Iran over the past two weeks. The New York Times reported Iraq delivered a ceasefire proposal to Tehran that was rejected, a claim disputed by Iraq.

Pakistan has also pushed for renewed discussions following a Chinese diplomatic effort. Iran interior minister Eskandar Momeni visited Istanbul this week for related talks, according to reports.