Houthi strikes wound 73 and halt Saudi energy operations

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched a wave of missile and drone strikes against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, wounding at least 73 civilians and sparking fires at energy facilities across the kingdom's southern region, Saudi authorities said. The attacks mark one of the most damaging escalations since the Yemen conflict reignited in July.

Strikes Hit Cities and Energy Infrastructure

The Saudi-led coalition said Houthi forces targeted civilian and economic sites in the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran, wounding 73 people including women and children. Coalition spokesperson Colonel Turki al-Malki called the barrage a "dangerous escalation" and a "blatant violation" of Saudi sovereignty, vowing that the coalition would "take all necessary operational measures to deter this terrorist militia."aljazeera+1

Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry said the strikes caused fires at multiple energy sites in the southern region and forced temporary operational shutdowns, while emergency teams worked to contain the blazes and assess damage. Houthi media outlet Ansarollah claimed the group hit Abha International Airport, King Khalid Air Base, and Aramco facilities in Abha and Jizan. The Financial Times reported Monday that Aramco's Jazan refinery — capable of processing up to 400,000 barrels per day — had been struck in earlier attacks. Aramco has not commented.newarab+3

Yemeni Government Declares Intent to Retake Sanaa

As cross-border attacks intensified, the internationally recognized Yemeni government declared its intention to recapture the Houthi-held capital Sanaa. Army spokesman Majid al-Nuzaili wrote on X: "From today, we declare that our goal is clear and unequivocal: to liberate Yemen from the grip of the terrorist Houthi militias." A government official told state-run Yemen TV that "the decision has been made to retake Sanaa" and promised unspecified "surprises."themedialine

The strikes came a day after the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of bombing a prison in Al-Hazm in northern Yemen, killing 11 people including a child. Days of fighting near the Red Sea coast have left more than 300 dead and displaced hundreds of families as the Houthis push toward the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.hurriyetdailynews+1

Regional Fallout

The attacks drew swift condemnation from Saudi allies. Egypt called them "a dangerous escalation," while Jordan described them as "a blatant violation of Saudi sovereignty." Brent crude had already been trading near the upper $90s per barrel amid broader regional disruptions, and the latest strikes added further pressure on global oil supply concerns.egyptindependent+2

Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group warned that the Houthis' push toward Bab al-Mandeb would benefit Iran by giving it leverage over a second critical maritime chokepoint alongside the Strait of Hormuz. "The conflict that seems to be rekindled in Yemen might take a life of its own and continue even beyond the end of hostilities between Iran and the US," Vaez told CNN.egyptindependent