The Iran-backed Houthi group has launched new missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia as its military advances along Yemen’s western coast continue. The developments have raised concerns about a further escalation of regional tensions and potential threats to global oil supplies and maritime security.
The Houthi group said it had launched dozens of missiles and drones toward a military base in Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia. According to the group, the attacks targeted military facilities, radar systems, runways and ammunition depots. The Houthis described the strikes as a response to Saudi airstrikes in Yemen.
Saudi authorities, meanwhile, took emergency measures in parts of the country’s south. The Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen said that 13 civilians were injured in the Houthi attacks.
The latest strikes come as military activity intensifies in Yemen, with the Houthis seeking to strengthen their positions along the country’s western coast overlooking the Red Sea. The advance has raised concerns over maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The escalation has also increased concerns over the security of Saudi oil exports and energy infrastructure. A pipeline running from eastern Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea provides the kingdom with an alternative route for exporting some of its oil without passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, talks between Gulf countries and Iran over the regional situation and maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz have also stalled. The continuing tensions have raised fears that the crisis could expand further and disrupt global energy supplies.
Analysts say the continued Houthi attacks and their military advances in Yemen are presenting Saudi Arabia and its allies with difficult choices, while international efforts continue to prevent the conflict from spreading to additional fronts and strategic maritime routes.
Source: Reuters
