In brief
In a series of drone and missile attacks carried out by Yemen's Houthi movement, the Saudi‑led coalition targeted cities in the southwest, including Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, as well as energy facilities. The strikes caused fires, temporarily halted operations and injured 73 people, including women and children. Saudi officials branded the attacks a dangerous escalation and pledged to take all necessary operational measures against the Houthi fighters, who claim the strikes are retaliation for recent Saudi air strikes in Yemen. The incidents come amid rising tensions in the western Gulf, with the Red Sea playing a critical role for global oil shipments.
Saudi Arabia vows to respond after Houthi attacks on cities and energy facilities
Yemen's Iran‑backed Houthi movement launched a barrage of drones and missiles that struck four southwestern Saudi cities—Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran—and targeted key energy installations. The attacks sparked fires and temporarily halted operations at several facilities, leaving 73 people wounded, including women and children.
The Saudi‑led coalition’s spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Turki al‑Maliki, called the strikes a “dangerous escalation” that underscores the hostile nature of the Houthi militia. In response, Coalition forces promised to “take all necessary operational measures” to deter the attackers.
Houthis countered the Saudi narrative, accusing the kingdom of executing over 120 air strikes on Yemeni provinces in the past three days and labeling those actions as “grave crimes.” They claimed their own missile and drone attacks were a retaliation for the Saudi blockade of Yemen’s ports and airports and for an earlier air strike on Sanaa airport.
The conflict further escalated on the Red Sea, where the Hoodhi offensive has threatened the Bab al‑Mandab Strait, a vital maritime corridor for Saudi oil exports amid the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran that has closed the Strait of Hormuz. Reports indicate the fighting has killed over 300 people and displaced 18,500.
As tensions rise, the international community watches closely, aware that any further spillover could destabilize global energy markets and intensify regional hostilities.
