Yemen War: Houthi Attacks On Saudi Arabia Intensify Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions

The conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia has escalated in recent days, into a full-scale war, with the Houthis launching repeated missile and drone strikes on Saudi cities, oil infrastructure, and air bases, while Saudi warplanes have intensified airstrikes on Yemen, causing significant civilian casualties and displacement.

The Houthis claim to have targeted multiple high-value assets in southern and western Saudi Arabia using dozens of ballistic missiles and drones. Key targets include the Saudi Aramco facility in Yanbu, the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait, and the Abha International Airport.

Saudi authorities on Wednesday, warned of a "red line" after intercepting a Houthi drone near the holy city of Mecca, which Riyadh condemned as a terrorist attack.

The Houthis also released video claiming to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib Governorate using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile, though Saudi authorities have not confirmed the loss.

The Saudi-led coalition has vowed to respond "firmly" to the Houthi aggression.

Saudi warplanes have conducted massive retaliatory campaigns, with Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree alleging that up to 450 airstrikes were carried out across seven Yemeni provinces in a single week. Saudi F-15 fighter jets carried out dozens of airstrikes over Houthi-controlled territory, targeting weapons depots, launch sites, and troop movements in provinces including Taiz, Hajjah, and around Sanaa.

More recently, the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of launching 26 attacks in just 24 hours, targeting Houthi-held territories in Taiz and Hajjah.

Houthi leadership seeks to compel Riyadh to ease remaining sea and air blockades on Houthi-controlled territory, facilitate public-sector salary payments from energy revenues, and halt support for anti-Houthi forces in Yemen.

While Saudi Arabia had spent recent years attempting to negotiate a direct diplomatic exit from the Yemeni civil war, the renewed cycle of strikes—initiated following Houthi moves near economic regions like Marib and Red Sea trade corridors—has severely disrupted the de-escalation pathway.

The United Nations Security Council condemned the attacks for causing civilian casualties and threatening maritime security in the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

The humanitarian situation in Yemen is critical, with the UN estimating that 125,000 people have been displaced since the start of September, and the Saudi-backed government reporting that approximately 150 civilians have been killed by Houthi forces since early September. The U.S. has tightened travel warnings for Saudi Arabia, banning government employees from traveling within 32 kilometers of the Yemen border.

The conflict has severely disrupted global energy supplies; Houthi attacks on Saudi pipelines and the Red Sea coast have disrupted up to 4% of global oil shipments and forced Saudi Arabia to rely more heavily on alternative routes.

This recent Yemen-Saudi Arabia escalation occurs against the backdrop of heightened Middle Eastern confrontations involving Iran, the U.S., and regional proxy forces. The Houthis have increasingly linked their military actions to broader regional dynamics, using long-range strike capabilities to pressure both Riyadh and international maritime security along Red Sea routes and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.