Yemen welcomes joint statement by Saudi, Egyptian, Turkish and Pakistani foreign ministers

Eleven individuals were killed in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, by Saudi strikes on Saturday, according to Houthi media. Shortly before the reported incident, the Saudi-led coalition claimed to have intercepted two missiles launched by the Houthis towards Saudi cities. The Al-Masirah news outlet of the Houthis reported a series of "Saudi enemy air strikes" on Sanaa, resulting in the death of at least four people and injuries to several others in a house targeted.

Another strike at a residence for cement factory workers in the Sanaa governorate claimed six women and a child's life, along with wounding three others. The ongoing Yemeni civil war, which pits the Iran-backed Houthis against the Saudi-supported, internationally recognized government, had been on hiatus since a ceasefire in 2022.

However, it resurfaced in July as the broader Middle East conflict intensified tensions in the region. The Saudi-led coalition's strikes occurred following the announcement of interceptions of two Houthi missiles headed towards Taif and Yanbu in the kingdom's west. The Saudi civil defense agency alerted residents in four western regions, including Taif, Yanbu, Mecca, and Yanbu, to potential danger, which they later rescinded.

Rescuers advised people to seek refuge in the nearest safe location. Additionally, the Saudi government cautioned against sharing images or information related to countering missiles and drones. The Gulf kingdom has faced repeated Houthi attacks in recent weeks, targeting its oil infrastructure and airports. Yanbu, a crucial oil export hub on the Red Sea, has enabled Riyadh to circumvent Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for numerous crude exports.

A Houthi attack on Riyadh airport earlier this month resulted in 13 deaths and numerous injuries, while the United States recently ordered non-essential embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia due to the Houthi threat. Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition that initiated the intervention in Yemen in 2015, which has resulted in one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

The recent Houthi surge, capturing control of the entire Red Sea coast, has exacerbated regional instability and disrupted oil markets. Egypt has proposed sending troops to assist Saudi Arabia, while Britain and France have offered their forces to safeguard the Gulf kingdom.