Houthis claim attack on Saudi base as fighting flares with Yemeni forces

Live updates

1. 41d ago

   Houthis Target Riyadh as Red Sea Conflict Escalates

   Yemen's Houthi rebels launched missile and drone attacks targeting the Saudi capital of Riyadh, sending flames and smoke near the city's airport. Saudi authorities issued overnight warnings of potential danger as the kingdom faces a renewed escalation. The cross-border operation follows a week of Houthi movements along the Red Sea coast that threaten Saudi oil exports. The ongoing hostilities have rattled world markets and reignited Yemen's prolonged civil war, while global trade routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden remain under persistent threat from rebel strikes.

   Why it matters

   The renewed cross-border strikes threaten critical energy infrastructure and global supply chains passing through the Red Sea corridor. The conflict stems from a twelve-year civil war in Yemen involving the Iran-backed Houthi movement and regional state actors. Recent maritime attacks by the group have previously drawn international condemnation and accusations of war crimes.

   What is confirmed

   • Yemen's Houthi rebels launched a missile and drone operation targeting Riyadh.
   • Saudi Arabia confirmed that the Houthis tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile.
   • Flames and smoke were seen near the Riyadh airport amid an escalation in Houthi attacks.
   • Saudi Arabia sent overnight alerts warning of potential danger around Riyadh.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The Houthi operation against Riyadh was launched as a response to an attack in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

   What to watch next

   • Further statements from Saudi authorities regarding damage or casualties from the Riyadh attack
   • Updates on the security situation along the Red Sea coast and oil export facilities
   • International diplomatic responses to the escalation in ballistic missile strikes
   Sources used for this update (4)

   1. www.nydailynews.com — What to know after a week of Houthi attacks that threaten Saudi oil and have rattled world markets
   2. seekingalpha.com — Weekly Commentary: Walked The Walk
   3. www.nbcnews.com — Saudi Arabia confirms Yemen’s Houthi rebels tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile
   4. www.cnbc.com — Flames, smoke seen near Riyadh airport; Houthis claim attacks on Saudi capital
   confidence 90%
2. 44d ago

   Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi drone near Mecca as Pakistan backs Riyadh

   Saudi air defenses destroyed a Houthi drone near Mecca on Wednesday, following emergency alerts for potential danger in Jeddah, Mecca, and Taif. Saudi Arabia has labeled the holy city a red line and accused the Iran-backed rebels of attempted attacks. Meanwhile, Pakistan has ended its neutral mediator stance by condemning the Houthi strikes and supporting Saudi Arabia's right to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Human Rights Watch reports that recent Houthi strikes on commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea likely constitute war crimes in three instances.

   Why it matters

   The escalation follows Houthi captures of the port city of Mokha and an island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. These developments threaten a vital global shipping lane and increase regional instability. The conflict involves Riyadh-backed Yemeni forces fighting Houthi rebels.

   What is confirmed

   • Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone near Mecca.
   • Saudi Arabia issued emergency alerts for Jeddah, Mecca, and Taif regarding potential danger.
   • Pakistan condemned Houthi attacks and supported Saudi Arabia's right to defend itself.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden likely amount to war crimes in at least three cases.
   • Saudi Arabia accuses Houthis of attempting to attack Mecca.

   What to watch next

   • Saudi military response to the Mecca drone attempt
   • Further Houthi movements toward western Saudi cities
   • Official legal filings regarding Houthi war crime allegations
   Sources used for this update (7)

   1. www.hrw.org — Yemen: New Attacks by Houthi Include Likely War Crimes
   2. www.nation.com.pk — ITP issues traffic advisory amid heavy rain in Islamabad
   3. www.nation.com.pk — Zelenskyy doubts Russia will honor energy-target truce announced by Trump
   4. www.nation.com.pk — Pakistan backs Saudi Arabia’s right to defend itself against Houthi attacks
   5. www.nation.com.pk — Saudi Arabia issues emergency alerts over ‘potential danger’ in Jeddah, Mecca, Taif
   6. www.nbcnews.com — Saudi Arabia accuses Houthis of attacking Mecca, warns holy city is a ‘red line’
   7. www.nation.com.pk — Saudi air defenses intercept Houthi drone near Mecca
   confidence 90%
3. 47d ago

   Houthis Claim Attack on Saudi Base as Yemen Fighting Escalates

   Yemeni Houthi fighters launched drone and ballistic missile attacks against a military base in southern Saudi Arabia following renewed ground fighting with Riyadh-backed Yemeni forces. The escalation follows a Houthi advance that saw the capture of the port city of Mokha and an island on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping lane. Meanwhile, Saudi officials reported a separate incident where a Houthi projectile wounded two people and damaged a mosque in the Jazan region. The renewed hostilities draw mediator Pakistan under pressure to choose a side amid mounting regional tensions.

   Why it matters

   The widening conflict risks opening a dangerous new front connected to broader regional wars involving Iran and the United States. Yemen sits along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which serves as a crucial shipping alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. The Yemeni government responded to recent setbacks by vowing to deploy additional forces to the Red Sea coast.

   What is confirmed

   • Houthi fighters claimed they used drones and missiles to attack a military base in southern Saudi Arabia.
   • A Houthi projectile wounded two people and damaged a mosque in the Jazan region, according to Saudi reports.
   • The Yemeni government vowed to send more forces to the Red Sea coast after conceding a defeat when Houthis captured Mokha and an island on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Pakistan faces pressure to choose a side as Saudi tensions with Iran-backed Houthis escalate.

   What to watch next

   • Deployment of additional Yemeni government forces to the Red Sea coast
   • Further Saudi retaliatory measures or defense updates regarding cross-border drone strikes
   • Diplomatic moves by regional mediators such as Pakistan
   Sources used for this update (16)

   1. The New York Times — Yemen Tilts Toward Full-Scale War as Saudi-Houthi Clashes Escalate
   2. reuters.com — As Saudi tensions with Iran-backed Houthis escalate, mediator Pakistan faces pressure to choose a side
   3. reuters.com — Saudi Arabia says drones launched from Iraq hit East-West pipeline, holds off on retaliation
   4. bbc.com — Lightning Houthi advance in Yemen may bring dangerous new dimension to Iran war
   5. The Hill — Proxy fight in Yemen heats up, risking new front in US-Iran war
   6. Haaretz — Live Updates IDF Says Troops Fired at Palestinian Near Jenin During Clash
   7. Al Jazeera — Will the Houthi attacks activate the Mecca Pact?
   8. timesofisrael.com — Yemen’s Houthis announce drone and missile attack on base in southern Saudi Arabia
   9. theguardian.com — Houthis claim attack on Saudi base as fighting flares with Yemeni forces
   10. Al Jazeera — Houthi projectile wounds two, damages mosque in Jazan region, Saudi says
   11. Anadolu Ajansı — Yemen’s Houthis claim ballistic missile, drone attack on Saudi military base
   12. AP News — Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claim new attacks on Saudi Arabia
   confidence 95%