Saudi Arabia came under fresh Houthi attacks on Wednesday, with ballistic missiles and drones targeting the southern cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait and Jazan, according to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.
Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said the Iran-aligned Houthi movement continued to target Saudi Arabia’s national assets and energy infrastructure, marking the second consecutive day of attacks on the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia vows response
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence lifted alerts in Khamis Mushait and Abha on Wednesday, a day after Houthi attacks on the cities and nearby areas reportedly wounded 73 people and set oil facilities ablaze.
Al-Malki said the coalition would respond “responsibly” to the attacks, vowing to protect Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, national assets and civilians.
The Houthis struck an airbase in Khamis Mushait and oil infrastructure in nearby areas on Tuesday in what was described as one of the largest attacks on Saudi territory since the US-Israeli war on Iran began in February.
The latest escalation has heightened concerns that fighting could return to a broader conflict after a UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely brought years of Saudi-Houthi warfare to a halt.
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Yemen conflict threatens renewed escalation
Saudi Arabia leads an Arab coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is based in the country’s south. The government was driven from the capital, Sanaa, by the Houthis 12 years ago.
The conflict has increasingly become part of a wider regional confrontation. The Houthis are closely aligned with Iran, while Saudi Arabia remains a key US ally.
In July, the Houthis announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. The move was followed by Saudi-led coalition strikes on what Riyadh said were Houthi military facilities in Yemen.
Fighting has also intensified on the ground. In recent days, Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have launched a multi-pronged offensive against Houthi-held areas after the group attempted to advance on government positions.
The Yemeni government has said it aims to recapture territory held by the Houthis.
Houthis report deaths in Yemen
Houthi-run Al Masirah TV, citing the group’s health ministry, reported that at least 32 people had been killed in Saudi strikes on Yemen’s Al Jawf province over the previous two days.
Saudi Arabia has not announced or independently confirmed that it carried out strikes in Al Jawf.
Riyadh has described the Houthi attacks as a dangerous escalation and said the Saudi-led coalition will take measures to deter further attacks. The Houthis, meanwhile, say their strikes are a response to what they describe as Saudi escalation in Yemen.
The latest exchange of attacks has raised renewed concerns about the durability of the fragile calm that followed the 2022 truce and the possibility of a wider escalation in the region.
