Houthi Attacks in Yemen, Saudi Arabia Raises Security Alert

Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen fired at least 12 missiles at the Hadramout and Marib provinces on Friday, just one day after drone and ballistic missile attacks on military targets of the Saudi-led coalition and the Yemeni government killed at least 30 soldiers.

A senior Saudi official said a Houthi attack on the south of the country on Thursday wounded 11 civilians, including a young child. The same day, the official told Reuters that intelligence indicated Houthi and Iraqi armed groups could launch new attacks under the supervision of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including on energy infrastructure, ports, and airports.

This is considered the bloodiest attack in years in Yemen's civil war, marking a major escalation in the regional conflict that has reignited after the U.S. and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran from late February.

Attack Developments

According to Yemeni government sources, at least 30 soldiers were killed and 15 others wounded when Houthi fired 8 missiles from al-Jawf province targeting al-Thiniya, al-Abr in Hadramout, and al-Rouk in Marib. The targets hit were camps of several army units, including the National Shield Forces, the Emergency Forces, and the First Military Region.

The National Shield Forces were established in 2022 with Saudi support, tasked with protecting the Marib-Hadramout border area and the Saudi border. The Emergency Forces were established by presidential decree in late 2025 under the supervision of the Saudi-led coalition. The high casualties on Thursday are believed to be because soldiers were gathered for a morning training exercise.

Later on Friday, Yemeni state media reported that government air defenses shot down several Houthi-launched drones above Marib. Houthi officials vowed to continue attacks against what they call Saudi allies or proxy forces on Yemeni territory, accusing the government of coordinating with Saudi Arabia to prepare for a ground offensive.

Also on Friday morning, Saudi military coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said Houthi attacked Najran province in southern Saudi Arabia, wounding 7 Saudis, 1 Yemeni, 2 Egyptians, and 1 Pakistani. Among the victims was a 4-year-old child with second-degree burns. Al-Maliki accused Houthi of indiscriminate shelling of residential areas, violating international humanitarian law.

Reasons for Tensions

Houthi has controlled the capital Sanaa since 2014 and has since fought the internationally recognized government based in the port city of Aden. Tensions have escalated significantly since the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran began on February 28.

On July 13, the Yemeni government attacked Sanaa airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing, accusing Iran of using such flights to transfer military equipment to Houthi. Yemen's UN ambassador Abdullah al-Saadi said the aircraft was linked to the IRGC, carrying "personnel, technical know-how, and military and dual-use equipment."

In response, Houthi fired missiles into Saudi Arabia and declared an end to the "de-escalation phase" in the Yemen war. On July 20, the group imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, disrupting oil shipments redirected through the Red Sea, and attacked oil giant Aramco facilities in Jizan and Yanbu.

Houthi accuses Saudi leadership of imposing "unjust and oppressive siege" for nearly 12 years, "plundering resources and fully blockading our ports and airports." Several Saudi-flagged ships and oil facilities have been attacked. Last week, Houthi claimed it fired a ballistic missile at the oil tanker NCC Ghazal, forcing it to change course.

Since 2023, following Israel's attack on Gaza, Houthi has also disrupted global shipping by attacking Israel-linked vessels through the Bab al-Mandeb strait. This has raised concerns the group could fully blockade the route connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

International Reactions

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi strongly condemned the attacks on Najran, calling them "terrorist acts" and "flagrant violation of international law." He affirmed GCC support for measures Saudi Arabia takes to protect its security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

Ahmed Nagi, a senior Yemen expert at the International Crisis Group, analyzed two main drivers: first, the political process stalemate after more than four years of de facto ceasefire; second, regional dynamics, as Houthi seeks to support Iran by increasing pressure on international shipping through the Red Sea.

On July 29, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. conducted joint airstrikes targeting the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq, killing more than 20 people. This was in retaliation for drone attacks on Saudi territory believed to originate from Iraq. Badr organization leader Hadi al-Amiri called on Iraqi resistance groups to postpone retaliatory operations for "Iraq's supreme interests."

Escalation Risks and Economic Impact

Iran has over decades built an "axis of resistance" including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, Houthi in Yemen, and groups in Iraq and Syria. Saudi officials warn of possible coordinated attacks between Houthi and Iraqi armed groups under IRGC supervision targeting civilian targets in Saudi Arabia.

Houthi is accused of wanting to replicate Iran's strategy in the Strait of Hormuz to control shipping through Bab al-Mandeb. About 30% of global container traffic passes through the Red Sea, along with 12-15% of total world trade volume. The attacks pushed Brent oil prices to $83.34 per barrel on Friday, after rising over $3 in the previous session.

Despite tensions, expert Nagi believes there is still room to contain escalation if U.S.-Iran tensions ease and the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi find common ground on issues like Sanaa airport and Hodeidah port. However, he admitted: "Current signs point more toward escalation than restraint," and the opportunity to prevent a wider conflict has not yet disappeared.