Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Houthi forces have reported a series of attacks this week, with the conflict extending into Saudi Arabia, where civil defense alerts were issued in several provinces on Thursday. The claims from both sides include reports of civilian casualties in Yemen and strikes on infrastructure within Saudi Arabia, indicating an increase in military activity.
According to the government-run Saba news agency on Wednesday, Houthi shelling in the central Marib governorate killed three children and wounded six others. The agency reported this was the second such attack in 48 hours.
Separately, Houthi officials reported that the death toll from an attack on a prison in the northern al-Jawf governorate on Tuesday had risen to 32, with seven others wounded.
The fighting has also involved cross-border attacks. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki, said Wednesday that Houthi forces were continuing attacks on the kingdom’s assets. He stated the coalition would respond to what he described as the group’s “heinous attacks.” Following these statements, Saudi Arabia’s civil defense authority issued alerts for Khamis Mushait and Abha on Thursday morning, after similar warnings the previous day. No casualties were reported in connection with the alerts.
Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, said in a social media post that Saudi forces launched 54 airstrikes across six Yemeni provinces over a 12-hour period on Wednesday. He stated the attacks “will not go unanswered.” On Tuesday, Saree claimed Saudi forces had conducted 121 airstrikes in the preceding days.
The conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when Houthi forces took control of the capital, Sanaa. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government. A United Nations-brokered truce in 2022 paused large-scale fighting, though clashes have occurred since it expired.
Recent military operations include a Houthi offensive launched last week in Hodeidah and Taiz provinces, while government-aligned forces have mounted counterattacks in the al-Jawf governorate. The World Health Organization reports that clashes since Aug. 24 have killed or wounded over 1,000 people and displaced tens of thousands.
The increased fighting has prompted reactions from other nations. Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, told local media that continued attacks on Saudi Arabia could activate the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a security pact involving Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to an Arab League statement that criticized what it termed “Iranian violations of Yemen’s sovereignty.” The ministry issued a statement rejecting claims of interference in Yemen’s affairs and added that it had “consistently emphasised the need to preserve Yemen’s unity and territorial integrity.”
