Saudi Arabia vows to respond 'firmly' to Houthi attacks

Saudi Arabia pledged on Tuesday to respond "firmly" to attacks carried out by Yemen's Houthi rebels, following an incident in which 13 individuals were injured using ballistic missiles and drones. The Houthis have been in active conflict with Saudi-backed forces since the civil war reignited in July, when the group imposed a maritime blockade on Riyadh and initiated attacks on its ships in the Red Sea.

Recently, they captured control of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, vital for the US war on Iran, which has caused global oil prices to surpass $100 per barrel.

The Saudi government issued attack alerts on Tuesday for Makkah, Jeddah, and Taif governorates before quickly retracting them, and civil defense authorities had earlier issued short-lived air-raid warnings in six regions. The Houthis have also targeted Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure, contributing to the surge in global oil prices.

A Houthi assault in western Yemen on Monday claimed the lives of eight government soldiers, according to two military sources. Additionally, the group is believed to have launched a significant attack using "dozens of ballistic missiles and drones" on King Khalid airbase in Khamis Mushait, southern Saudi Arabia. A local resident reported intense blasts that resulted in fires burning for an extended period, causing them to be unable to sleep.

Saudi Arabia confirmed missile and drone strikes on Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif the previous day, resulting in 13 civilian casualties and damage to seven houses and two vehicles.

The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to convene to discuss the Houthi offensive, according to diplomatic sources. Saudi Arabia intends to address the attacks "firmly to protect the sovereignty of the kingdom" and will employ "all necessary operational measures" to deter the "hostile and extremist" approach. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to engage in discussions with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi today.

US media reported last week that President Donald Trump had dismissed a personal request from the Saudi crown prince to intervene in the war. Trump stated on Saturday that the Houthis had contacted Washington and requested the US to refrain from involvement, mentioning that the Houthis had asked the US not to interfere in the conflict.

Hazem al-Assad, a member of the Houthis' politburo, declared that the "Yemeni response will continue and escalate as long as Saudi Arabia persists in its aggression against our people."

The renewed fighting in Yemen follows a stalemate in the broader regional war, but US President Trump indicated on Monday that he may be open to engaging in discussions with Iran. He expressed openness to engaging with Iran's leader, stating that "the failing nation of Iran wants to make a deal, quickly and badly. I will determine whether or not the USA will choose to engage — the concept of which we are open to."

Iran's top security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, countered by saying that "there will be no negotiations until Iran's conditions are met." Recent attempts at a proposed meeting between Gulf states and Iran to discuss the future of Hormuz have been postponed. Qatar has warned that closing the Bab al-Mandab strait would have catastrophic consequences for the entire world.