A wave of attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels has wounded at least 73 civilians in Saudi Arabia, prompting the Saudi-led coalition to vow a resolute response as fighting intensifies in neighbouring Yemen.
The attacks struck several cities in southern Saudi Arabia early today, with Houthi forces targeting what Saudi authorities described as civilian and economic sites. Major General Turki Al-Maliki, Spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition Forces, said that the attacks hit the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. He said that women and children were among those injured.
Al-Maliki described the attacks as “senseless” and condemned the targeting of civilian and economic locations. Al-Maliki said in a statement that the attacks “constitute a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a direct threat to the security and safety of its citizens and residents.”
The Saudi-led coalition, which has been fighting the Houthis during Yemen’s prolonged civil war, said it would take measures to prevent further attacks and respond to the sources of the threat. Al-Maliki said that the Joint Forces Command of the coalition will “take all necessary operational measures” to deter the Houthis and “resolutely confront its hostile approach.” “The Command will also take all necessary measures and actions to respond to the sources of the threat and neutralize its danger,” he added.
The Saudi Ministry of Energy separately said that several facilities and installations linked to the country’s energy sector had been targeted in southern areas early Tuesday. The attacks wounded a number of citizens and residents and caused fires at several locations, the ministry said, adding that some operations had been temporarily halted.
The latest strikes mark a serious escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis after a period of relative calm. Saudi Arabia had largely stayed out of the direct confrontation between the United States and Iran, but attacks by the Houthis in July brought an end to a de facto four-year ceasefire between the rebel group and the kingdom. The Houthis subsequently announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and began targeting Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea.
The renewed attacks have unfolded alongside an escalation of fighting inside Yemen, where the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government has launched a counteroffensive against Houthi forces. The conflict dates back to 2014, when the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sanaa, prompting Saudi Arabia and its allies to intervene militarily the following year.
Fighting between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government largely subsided following a United Nations-brokered truce in 2022. However, hostilities have since resumed amid the broader regional tensions surrounding the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The renewed confrontation has raised concerns that the conflict in Yemen could once again threaten Saudi territory and shipping routes in the Red Sea.
Fighting Intensifies In Yemen
The latest Saudi attacks come as fighting between the Houthis and the internationally recognised Yemeni government has intensified across several parts of the country. The Houthis launched missiles and drones towards Abha International Airport in July following an attack on Sanaa airport, marking the return of direct hostilities between the group and Saudi Arabia after years of relative calm.
On Thursday, the Houthis launched a major offensive aimed at advancing through western Taiz and southern Hodeidah towards the port city of al-Makha and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a strategically important maritime passage linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Fighting initially concentrated in areas west of Taiz and south of Hodeidah but has since spread to the provinces of al-Dhalea, Marib, al-Jawf and al-Bayda.
The government is seeking to stretch Houthi forces across multiple fronts and increase pressure on the group as it attempts to regain territory. The escalation has also taken a heavy humanitarian toll. The World Health Organization said approximately 1,078 people had been killed or wounded since August 24, while more than 21,000 people had been displaced since Thursday.
The latest violence threatens to further destabilise a country that has already endured more than a decade of conflict and a severe humanitarian crisis. For Saudi Arabia, Tuesday’s attacks have added a new security challenge as the kingdom seeks to avoid becoming directly drawn into the wider confrontation between Iran and its regional and international adversaries.
The Saudi-led coalition’s warning of a forceful response raises the possibility of further military action against Houthi positions in Yemen, while the attacks on energy facilities and civilian areas could increase pressure on Riyadh to protect its territory and critical infrastructure. The renewed violence also places additional strain on efforts to contain the Yemen conflict, with the escalation threatening to undo the relative calm that followed the 2022 truce.
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