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Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis launched dozens of drones and missiles at targets across Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran on Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition reported, hitting both civilian areas and economic installations in what officials described as a dangerous escalation. Coalition spokesman Maj Gen Turki al-Maliki stated that the strikes injured 73 civilians, among them women and children, while the Saudi Energy Ministry confirmed that several energy sector facilities and installations in the southern region sustained damage. The assaults caused fires at multiple locations, leading to a temporary suspension of some operational activities as emergency teams worked to contain the blazes, according to the ministry.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks on civilian and economic sites, asserting that the kingdom will take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty and protect its national interests. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, speaking during a press conference in Moscow with his Russian counterpart, said the country supports peace and diplomatic solutions but will not hesitate to defend itself against such provocations. The ministry further criticized the Houthis for ongoing strikes on commercial vessels in the Red Sea that it said threaten international maritime navigation.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for what the group called a large-scale operation using ballistic missiles and drones against Saudi Aramco facilities in Abha, Jazan and Najran as well as King Khalid airbase in Khamis Mushait. Saree described the strikes as retaliation for more than 120 Saudi-led airstrikes on Yemeni provinces including Bayda, Hodeidah, Jawf, Marib and Taiz over recent days. The Houthis warned of harsher and wider actions unless the coalition halted its operations, according to statements carried by Houthi-run media.
The strikes form part of renewed fighting that began earlier in September when the Houthis launched an offensive in Taiz Governorate, prompting a counteroffensive by government forces in Al-Jawf and Al-Bayda, as summarised in coverage by The National that traced the crisis reignition through a December 2025 power struggle among Yemeni factions. Saudi Arabia first intervened in the civil war in 2015 to back the internationally recognised government against the Houthis, a step that has defined the conflict’s regional dimensions ever since, according to historical accounts compiled by Britannica. The latest incidents mark some of the heaviest clashes since a 2022 ceasefire largely held until this year.
Oil prices climbed sharply in reaction, with Brent crude rising above $99 a barrel to its highest level since July, The New York Times reported, as traders factored in risks to shipping through the Red Sea and potential further disruptions from the escalating conflict. Jazan, home to one of the kingdom’s largest refineries with capacity of 400,000 barrels per day, was among the targeted locations, Reuters noted in its assessment of the affected energy infrastructure. The Energy Ministry added that authorities were evaluating damage and taking steps to ensure safety while resuming operations according to established plans.
Maj Gen Turki al-Maliki emphasised that the Joint Forces Command would implement all required operational steps to confront the threat and deter further Houthi actions, a position the coalition had signalled in statements as early as July when similar warnings were issued following Houthi declarations of a maritime blockade. The attacks have also coincided with intensified Houthi operations against government positions inside Yemen, where fighting has killed and injured dozens of troops in recent weeks, according to updates from Al Jazeera. Saudi officials continue to accuse the group of undermining regional security while rejecting peace initiatives backed by the Yemeni government and its partners.
