Houthis Launch Major Attacks on Saudi Arabia, 73 Reported Injured
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement launched a major wave of missile and drone attacks against southern Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, September 8, striking civilian and economic targets in four cities. Saudi authorities said at least 73 people were injured, including women and children.
The attacks targeted Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, according to the Saudi-led coalition. Energy facilities were among the sites hit, while fires were reported at several locations.
The Houthis said they had carried out a large-scale operation using missiles and drones. Their military spokesman, Yahya Saree, described the strikes as retaliation for Saudi military operations against Houthi positions in Yemen.
The Saudi Energy Ministry said several energy-sector installations in the southern part of the kingdom were attacked. Reports also indicated disruption at some facilities, although the full extent of the damage was still being assessed.
The escalation comes after renewed fighting inside Yemen. Saudi-backed Yemeni forces have launched a counteroffensive against Houthi-held territory, while the Houthis have intensified attacks around the Red Sea and against Saudi-linked shipping.
Saudi Arabia has vowed a strong response. The Saudi-led coalition described the attacks as a dangerous escalation and said it would take operational measures against what it called the Houthi threat.
The confrontation is also threatening global energy markets. Oil prices rose sharply after the attacks, with Brent crude moving close to $100 a barrel, as investors feared that the violence could spread to additional oil infrastructure and shipping routes.
The latest strikes represent a serious deterioration after the relative calm that followed the 2022 Yemen truce. The renewed Saudi-Houthi confrontation now risks opening another major front in the wider Middle East conflict and placing additional pressure on regional oil and shipping supplies.
