Saudi Arabia has vowed to respond firmly to renewed attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement, as fighting between the group and Saudi-backed government forces intensifies amid the wider regional conflict.
The Houthis resumed fighting with government forces in July after Yemen’s civil war reignited. The group also declared a maritime blockade targeting Saudi Arabia and began attacking ships in the Red Sea.
Last week, the Houthis claimed control of parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategically important maritime route whose significance has increased amid disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi authorities issued brief attack alerts on Tuesday for the Makkah, Jeddah and Taif governorates before cancelling them shortly afterwards. Earlier, Saudi Civil Defence had issued temporary air-raid warnings in six regions.
The Houthis have also targeted Saudi oil infrastructure, raising concerns about disruptions to supplies from the world’s leading crude oil exporter and contributing to a rise in global oil prices above $100 a barrel.
A Houthi attack in western Yemen on Monday killed eight government soldiers, according to two military sources.
The group also claimed responsibility for a large-scale attack involving dozens of ballistic missiles and drones against King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia.
A resident of Khamis Mushait reported hearing intense explosions and seeing fires that continued for an extended period, saying residents were unable to sleep.
The Saudi-led coalition confirmed that missile and drone attacks had targeted Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif the previous day. It said 13 civilians were wounded, while seven houses and two vehicles were damaged.
The Houthis said Saudi Arabia responded with more than 50 airstrikes, similar to the number of strikes reported the previous day.
As the violence continues, diplomatic sources said the United Nations Security Council is expected to meet to discuss the Houthi offensive.
The Saudi-led coalition said it would respond firmly to the attacks to protect the kingdom’s sovereignty and would take all necessary operational measures to deter what it described as a hostile and extremist approach.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was also expected to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as regional tensions remained high.
US media previously reported that US President Donald Trump had declined a personal request from the Saudi crown prince to intervene against the Houthis. Trump later said the Houthis had contacted Washington and asked the United States not to become involved.
Houthi politburo member Hazem al-Assad said the group would continue and intensify its attacks as long as Saudi Arabia maintained what he called aggression against the Yemeni people.
The renewed violence in Yemen comes as the broader regional conflict remains deadlocked. Trump said on Monday that he was open to talks with Iran, stating that Washington would consider engaging in negotiations.
Iran’s top security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, responded that negotiations would not take place until Tehran’s conditions were met.
Iran has repeatedly demanded measures including war reparations and the lifting of sanctions as conditions for ending the conflict and its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
A planned meeting between Gulf states and Iran over the future of the Strait of Hormuz was postponed on Monday.
Qatar has warned of severe global consequences if the Bab al-Mandab Strait is closed. Foreign ministry official Ibrahim Al Hashmi described such a development as potentially catastrophic for the international community.
The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, triggering the escalation of the country’s civil war and forcing the government to relocate to Aden in the south.
In 2015, Saudi Arabia formed and led a coalition to support the Yemeni government. The ensuing military campaign involved extensive airstrikes and contributed to one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
The UN’s migration agency said the latest escalation in fighting has forced 93,864 people to flee their homes, adding to the humanitarian challenges facing Yemen.
