Houthi forces attacked four cities in southern Saudi Arabia with drones and missiles, wounding 73 people and setting oil installations ablaze, Saudi authorities said. The attacks targeted an airbase and oil facilities in Khamis Mushait, Abha, Najran and Jizan.
Saudi Arabia said it would take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty and retaliate against the strikes, which the Houthis said were a broad operation deep inside Saudi territory.
What the Houthis said they targeted
Houthi forces said they struck an airbase in Khamis Mushait, targets linked to Saudi Arabia’s state oil company in nearby Abha, sites in Najran near the Yemen border and the Aramco facility in Jizan. Jizan is home to one of Saudi Arabia’s largest refineries and was damaged in an attack weeks earlier. For additional context, see “What the latest US-Iran tanker attacks mean for the Strait of Hormuz”.
The Saudi-led coalition’s spokesperson, Maj Gen Turki al-Malki, said pro-government forces would take operational measures to deter the Houthis. The Saudi foreign ministry also demanded an end to attacks on Saudi territory and oil tankers in the Red Sea.
Why the strikes matter beyond Saudi Arabia
The attacks came after a period of relative calm in August, while a ceasefire in the long-running Yemen conflict has broken down. The Houthis have threatened shipping at the mouth of the Red Sea, adding pressure to regional energy routes. A related part of this story is covered in “Government warplanes strike Houthi positions in Yemen fighting”.
The strikes risk extending disruption to Middle East energy supplies beyond the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude rose more than 2% on Tuesday to above $99 a barrel as Iran and the US resumed exchanges of fire after a month of relative calm.
What happens next
Saudi Arabia said it would retaliate and take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty, but it did not specify the timing or form of that response. The development of this issue can be followed in “What is really moving through the Strait of Hormuz?”.
No comments yet. Start the discussion.