HOUTHIS LAUNCH MISSILE AND DRONE BARRAGE AGAINST SAUDI ARABIA

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched a fresh wave of missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia, marking a significant escalation in the conflict between the group and Saudi-backed forces. The Houthis claimed they targeted military and economic installations in southern Saudi Arabia, including facilities linked to energy giant Aramco and a major airbase. The attacks came amid renewed fighting inside Yemen and growing tensions across the wider Middle East.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group used dozens of ballistic missiles and drones in what he described as a large-scale operation. According to the rebels, targets included Aramco facilities in Abha, Najran and Jazan, as well as the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait. The group said the strikes were carried out in retaliation for Saudi-led attacks on Houthi positions in several parts of Yemen.

Saudi authorities, however, reported that the attacks affected civilian and economic sites across Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. Saudi-led coalition spokesman Major General Turki Al-Malki said at least 73 civilians, including women and children, were wounded. The Saudi Energy Ministry also confirmed that several energy-sector facilities came under attack, with fires reported at some locations and temporary interruptions to operations.

The latest strikes come as fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces has intensified across several provinces. The Houthis have also been accused of expanding military operations around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key international shipping route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The renewed violence has reportedly displaced thousands of people and raised concerns that Yemen could slide back into a wider war after years of relative calm following the 2022 truce.

Saudi Arabia has described the attacks as a dangerous escalation and a direct threat to its sovereignty and population, warning that it would take necessary measures against the sources of the attacks. Meanwhile, the Houthis have vowed to continue striking targets deep inside the kingdom if Saudi-led military operations in Yemen persist. The confrontation is now adding another layer of uncertainty to regional security and threatening already-sensitive energy and shipping routes.