Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia wounds 11 civilians as kingdom warns of wider threat

On August 7, an attack by Yemen's Houthis in southern Saudi Arabia injured 11 civilians, as Riyadh cautioned of potential broader threats from coordinated assaults by the Houthis and Iranian-backed Iraqi militias. Major General Turki al-Maliki, Saudi-led military coalition spokesman, stated that the attack in Najran Province targeted seven Saudis, one Yemeni, two Egyptians, and one Pakistani.

Among the casualties was a 4-year-old child with second-degree burns. Maliki condemned the Houthis for their indiscriminate shelling, violating international humanitarian law, and affirmed the coalition's commitment to civilian protection. No immediate response was received from the Houthis or Iran, due to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

The Houthis' actions, including a blockade of the Red Sea affecting Saudi oil exports, have heightened the stakes of the regional confrontation. Intelligence suggests that the Houthis and Iraqi militias, supervised by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, could soon launch coordinated attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure, such as energy facilities, ports, and airports.

Saudi Arabia is seeking to strengthen security alliances with key partners while warning of an escalating regional threat from Iran-aligned groups. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan were expected to sign a defense agreement in Riyadh on Friday, although specifics of the pact were not disclosed. Saudi Arabia has previously signed defense cooperation agreements with Pakistan and Turkey.

The Saudi official emphasized that reported threats were alarming as Riyadh remained committed to de-escalation and a negotiated settlement of the Iran conflict, adding that mediation efforts seemed to be progressing positively. Saudi-U.S. cooperation remained strong, both at strategic and operational levels, with Saudi Arabia prepared to take necessary measures against any aggression.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on Najran airport on Tuesday, part of a growing escalation involving the group targeting Saudi military, infrastructure, and shipping. They also killed over 30 Yemeni government troops on Thursday during an assault on Saudi military positions in Marib and Hadramout provinces. On July 29, Saudi Arabia carried out airstrikes with U.S. Central Command against Iranian-backed groups in Iraq following drone attacks on its oil facilities. Iraqi militias vowed retaliation for the Saudi strikes.