Houthis say Saudi Arabia launched over 50 strikes against them in 24 hours

Sanaa: On Sunday, the Yemeni Houthi group alleged that Saudi Arabia had launched over 50 strikes against their positions within a span of 24 hours. This claim came after the Houthi group successfully conducted a rare drone and missile attack on a Saudi military base. The conflict has escalated since July when Yemen's civil war resumed, with the Houthi group declaring a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and targeting its ships in the Red Sea.

The recent clashes follow a week-long Houthi offensive that resulted in the capture of Yemen's Red Sea coast, securing their control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a crucial passage for Saudi oil exports, which remains blocked due to the ongoing US-Iran war. According to Houthi military spokesman Yayha Saree, the Saudi enemy has conducted 58 airstrikes in the past 24 hours.

The Houthi group's heaviest missile and drone attack in years targeted oil sites in Saudi Arabia, causing fires and injuring 73 individuals. The group's Almasirah TV channel reported that Saudi aviation carried out two strikes on Saada, a key Houthi stronghold, and that artillery fire was also reported in the border district of Monabbih, in the same province.

Later on Sunday, Almasirah reported two Saudi strikes on a market in the northern Al-Jawf province. Since Tuesday, the Houthi group has reported over 100 strikes against their positions, with Riyadh yet to provide confirmation. So far, the strikes have primarily targeted the front lines, supporting Yemeni government forces, without directly attacking the Houthi heartland, including the capital Sanaa.

The Yemeni civil war, which began in 2014 when the Houthi group seized the capital and ousted the internationally recognized government, reignited in July, leading to renewed fighting between the Houthi group and Saudi-backed government forces. The conflict had been dormant since the UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022. Tens of thousands have been displaced due to the violence, with the UN reporting a 10,000 increase in displaced persons in a single day.