Houthis Launch Major Missile and Drone Attack on Saudi Arabia, 73 Injured, Energy Facilities Hit

RIYADH: Yemen’s Houthi group has launched missile and drone attacks on southern areas of Saudi Arabia, injuring at least 73 people. Saudi authorities said women and children were among those wounded.

Major General Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen, said the Houthis targeted civilian and economic facilities in several areas, including Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. Several locations reportedly caught fire following the attacks.

The Saudi Ministry of Energy said some energy facilities were affected in the attacks, prompting emergency and firefighting teams to respond. Saudi Aramco facilities in Jazan were also reportedly affected.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying dozens of ballistic missiles and drones were launched at several military and economic targets inside Saudi Arabia. He claimed that Aramco facilities and Khamis Mushait Air Base were among the targets.

The Houthi spokesperson said attacks against Saudi Arabia would continue, describing the strikes as a response to Saudi military operations in Yemen. However, some of the Houthi claims regarding specific targets and the full extent of the damage could not be independently verified.

Saudi authorities described the attacks as a threat to the country’s security and sovereignty and said necessary measures would continue to be taken to defend the kingdom. The Gulf Cooperation Council also condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia.

The latest strikes are being viewed as a significant escalation in tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, particularly as some of the affected areas in southern Saudi Arabia host key energy and military facilities.