At least 73 people were injured in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said Tuesday, as it vowed a firm response to the latest escalation in hostilities.
The Iran-backed Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen and the country’s most populous areas, launched attacks on targets in the Saudi cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, according to the coalition.
(Photo: Stringer/Reuters)
Coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Malki described the escalation as “dangerous,” saying the Houthis had targeted civilian and economic sites in Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter and the de facto leader of OPEC.
“The coalition will take all necessary operational measures to deter this terrorist militia and resolutely confront its hostile approach,” Malki said in a statement posted on X.
The attacks come amid renewed tensions between the Houthis and Riyadh. The group has been launching attacks toward Saudi Arabia since announcing a naval blockade against the kingdom in July, including strikes targeting Saudi vessels in the Red Sea.
The Financial Times reported Monday that facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco in Jazan had been struck in the latest attacks and that the extent of the damage was being assessed. Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the report, while Aramco had not commented.
The latest exchange marks a renewed escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis after years of conflict in Yemen, with the coalition now warning that further attacks on the kingdom will draw a military response.