SRINAGAR: At least 73 people have been injured in a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Tuesday, as it vowed to take firm action against the Iran-backed group amid a fresh escalation in hostilities, CNN reported.
Coalition spokesperson Colonel Turki al-Malki described the latest attacks as a “dangerous” development, saying the Houthis had targeted civilian and economic sites in Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter and de facto OPEC leader.
“The coalition will take all necessary operational measures to deter this terrorist militia and resolutely confronts its hostile approach,” al-Malki said in a statement on X.
The coalition said the Houthis had launched attacks against targets in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran.
The latest escalation follows the Houthis’ declaration in July of a naval blockade against Riyadh. The group has since carried out attacks towards Saudi Arabia, including strikes against vessels in the Red Sea.
The Financial Times reported on Monday that Aramco’s oil facilities in Jazan had been hit in fresh strikes and that the extent of the damage was being assessed. Reuters said it was unable to immediately verify the report, while Aramco had not commented.
The latest exchange of attacks comes as fighting continues along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. More than 300 people have been killed in recent clashes, while hundreds of families have been displaced. The Houthis are also pushing an offensive for territory around the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The Bab al-Mandab connects the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea, which extends north towards the Suez Canal. The strategic route has assumed greater importance for Saudi crude shipments as Iran’s blockade restricts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
