Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis trade attacks as tensions escalate

RIYADH — Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels have intensified after the two sides exchanged attacks that killed at least five people, according to reports.

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a drone launched by the Houthis over the Taif region, while reports from Yemen said airstrikes attributed to Saudi Arabia struck parts of the country.

The Houthis denied targeting the holy city of Mecca after Saudi authorities said the drone attack was aimed at a location near the city.

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi rejected the Saudi accusation, saying his group did not deliberately target Islamic holy sites.

The latest exchanges come as tensions between Riyadh and the Houthis have risen again following years of conflict and cross-border attacks between the two sides.

According to Al Jazeera, at least five people were killed in the latest violence, with children among those reported dead.

Saudi Arabia has strengthened its air defences in recent years as it faces repeated threats from drones and missiles launched from Yemen. The kingdom has relied on air defence systems to intercept projectiles before they reach populated areas and sensitive sites.

The Houthis, meanwhile, have said they will continue attacks against targets they consider linked to Saudi Arabia and its allies.

The renewed violence has raised concerns over wider regional security, given Saudi Arabia’s strategic role in the Middle East and the Houthis’ control of large parts of Yemen.

The Houthi movement, formally known as Ansar Allah, has controlled the Yemeni capital Sanaa and large areas of northern and western Yemen since seizing power in 2014. The conflict subsequently drew in a Saudi-led coalition, which intervened militarily in Yemen in 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government.

A truce announced in 2022 significantly reduced cross-border attacks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, although it did not result in a comprehensive peace agreement to end Yemen’s wider conflict.

The latest attacks come against a broader backdrop of instability across the region, where conflicts and rivalries have repeatedly affected shipping routes, energy infrastructure and civilian populations.

Saudi authorities have not provided full details of the latest interception or disclosed the extent of any damage. The Houthis have also disputed Saudi claims concerning the intended target of the drone.

The two sides continue to offer competing accounts of the latest incidents, making it difficult to independently establish the full circumstances surrounding the attacks.

Regional governments and international actors have previously called for restraint and a political settlement to Yemen’s conflict, warning that renewed fighting could further undermine efforts to achieve lasting peace.

GAROWE ONLINE