Saudi Arabia Says Houthi Attacks Injure 73 Civilians

Saudi Arabia has accused Yemen’s Houthi movement of launching cross-border missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure and energy sites, leaving at least 73 civilians wounded. The strikes follow intensified fighting inside Yemen, where Saudi-backed government forces recently launched a counteroffensive to reclaim territory from the Iran-aligned group.

The exchange marks a sharp escalation in the conflict following the breakdown of past ceasefire efforts and an expansion of ground combat across multiple Yemeni provinces.

Cross-Border Strikes Target Saudi Energy Sites

Major-General Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition, stated on Tuesday that Houthi strikes hit civilian and economic locations across four southern provinces: Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan, and Najran. Al-Maliki described the bombardment as a “dangerous escalation” and a violation of sovereignty, adding that coalition forces would take operational measures to address the origin of the attacks.

In a separate statement, the Saudi Ministry of Energy confirmed that several energy sector installations in southern regions were struck early Tuesday. The attacks caused fires at multiple locations and forced a “temporary halt in some operations,” while also injuring a mix of citizens and foreign residents. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry declared that the kingdom would take necessary actions to defend its territory and demanded an immediate end to Houthi attacks.

Houthis Claim Retaliation as International Concern Grows

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree acknowledged the operation later on Tuesday, characterizing it as a “large-scale, long-range military operation” using dozens of ballistic missiles and drones. Saree claimed the assault came in direct response to more than 120 Saudi airstrikes conducted across Yemen over the preceding three days.

Houthi-aligned media reported that Saudi aircraft carried out raids on the Al-Waziyah district in Taiz province. Furthermore, the group accused Saudi forces of conducting an airstrike on a prison facility in al-Hazm, located within the northern al-Jawf governorate, claiming the raid killed at least seven people.

Diplomatic reactions followed the strikes. During talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the Houthi attacks as counterproductive actions that damage the global economy, emphasizing that military means should not be used to resolve the conflict.

Widening Battlefield Across Yemen

The strikes against Saudi Arabia come as ground combat accelerates within Yemen. Houthi forces recently launched an offensive attempting to advance through western Taiz and southern Hodeidah toward the Red Sea port city of al-Makha near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. To counter the advance, government forces expanded military pressure across the provinces of al-Dhalea, Marib, al-Jawf, and al-Bayda.

The renewed violence has caused severe human toll and movement. The World Health Organization reported that approximately 1,078 people have been killed or wounded since August 24, while more than 21,000 individuals have been displaced from their homes since Thursday.

Background

Yemen was plunged into conflict in 2014 when Houthi rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention the following year. Combat largely subsided under a United Nations-brokered truce in 2022, but violence re-emerged following broader regional conflicts involving the United States, Israel, and Iran in February 2026. Direct hostilities spiked again in July 2026 after Houthi attacks targeted Abha international airport, leading to a Houthi-declared naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and strikes on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.