In brief
Yemen’s Iran‑backed Houthi movement fired dozens of drones and missiles at Saudi Arabia’s southwestern cities and major oil sites, injuring 73 people and setting fires that halted operations. The Saudi‑led coalition condemned the assaults as a dangerous escalation and pledged to take all necessary operational measures to deter future attacks. The Houthis framed the attacks as retaliation for recent Saudi air strikes on Yemen and a blockade of Yemeni ports. The incident follows a fragile ceasefire that broke down in July, escalating into a broader regional conflict that threatens key shipping lanes in the Red Sea. Experts warn that continued attacks risk further destabilization of the already volatile Middle East and could disrupt global oil markets.
Yemen’s Iran‑backed Houthi movement launched a salvo of drones and missiles that struck Saudi Arabia’s southwestern cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, as well as key oil and energy facilities. The attacks caused fires, temporarily halted operations at several sites, and injured 73 people, including women and children, according to Saudi authorities.
The Saudi‑led coalition’s spokesman, Maj Gen Turki al‑Maliki, described the strikes as a “dangerous escalation” that confirms the hostile and irresponsible approach of the Houthi militia. The coalition warned it would take all operational measures deemed necessary to deter the group.
In response, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea accused the Saudi military of conducting more than 120 air strikes on Yemen’s Marib, al‑Bayda, Hudaydah, Taiz and Jawf provinces over the past three days. The Houthis claimed that they have retaliated with ballistic missiles and drones, which caused “significant damage.”
The escalation follows the unraveling of a four‑year‑old informal ceasefire in July, when the Houthis imposed a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia and launched numerous missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities and tankers in the Red Sea. They cited Saudi‑led restrictions on Yemeni ports and airports, and an alleged Saudi air strike on Sanaa airport, as the impetus for their retaliation.
Conflict on Yemen’s southwestern coast intensified on Thursday, when the Houthis began a major offensive aimed at controlling the Bab al‑Mandab Strait that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The fighting has killed more than 300 people and displaced 18,500, according to local reports. The Red Sea’s strategic importance has surged amid the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran, leading to an effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.
Analysts warn that continued Houthi attacks could widen the regional conflict and cause global economic damage, especially since the area is a vital transit route for oil deliveries to the rest of the world.
