Escalating Tensions: Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Raise Alarms in Yemen

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have intensified their offensive against Saudi Arabia, claiming missile and drone strikes while capturing key territories along the Red Sea coast. This escalation has alarmed Yemen's government and raised concerns about a potential return to civil war. As the Houthis advance, the Yemeni government vows to regroup and counterattack. The situation threatens a fragile ceasefire and has implications for regional stability, particularly with the proximity of Houthi forces to a major US military base in Djibouti. The humanitarian crisis is worsening as thousands flee the conflict, prompting emergency responses from Djibouti's authorities.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 13, 2026, 16:34 IST

Houthi Offensive Intensifies

Cairo: The Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen have reported new assaults on Saudi Arabia, prompting the Saudi-backed Yemeni government to label the rebels' rapid progress along the Red Sea coast as a troubling development in the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The Houthis recently seized a significant port city and an island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping route alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns among markets and civilians in Yemen about a potential return to widespread civil war.

In the latest claims, the Houthis announced missile and drone strikes targeting Saudi Arabia, which backs Yemen's internationally recognized government in its fight against the rebels.

Brig Gen Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesperson, stated that they aimed at a military installation in Sharurah province, located in Saudi Arabia's Najran region, although he did not provide specific details or timing of the attack.

Saudi civil defense reported that a projectile landed in al-Tawwal governorate near the Yemen border, injuring two individuals and damaging a mosque and several buildings, attributing the incident to the Houthis. Sirens were activated in Sharurah province, but no casualties or further damage were reported.

There has been no official Saudi announcement regarding any new strikes against the Houthis, who have been targeting Saudi oil facilities and shipping as part of a recently declared blockade.

Despite the rebels asserting that there is no threat to other commercial shipping, market apprehension persists, leading to a rise in oil prices.

Yemen's Government Response

Yemen's government vows to fight back

A senior official from Yemen's government indicated that their forces would regroup and return to the Red Sea coast to counter the Houthi advance. Eyewitness accounts from those fleeing the conflict reported seeing government forces retreating and urging civilians to evacuate.

Sultan al-Arada, a member of the ruling presidential council, described the retreat of government forces in the port city of Mokha and other areas along Yemen's western coast as 'painful and regrettable.'

In a televised interview aired late Saturday, al-Arada stated that the forces are currently regrouping and will re-engage in combat soon.

On Friday, a senior military official from Yemen's internationally recognized government attributed the setbacks to a 'lack of coordination' among the army and allied militias, which he claimed provided the Houthis with an 'unmissable opportunity.'

The official, who requested anonymity due to media restrictions, expressed surprise that the Saudi air force did not intervene to prevent the capture of Mokha, located approximately 80 kilometers from the strait.

The rapid advance of the Houthis represents a significant blow to both Yemen's recognized government and Saudi Arabia, who have been in conflict with the rebels for over a decade. This escalation poses a threat to the ceasefire established in 2022.

Additionally, the rebels' progress places them just 32 kilometers from the US military base in Djibouti, which is the primary US base in Africa and is surrounded by several foreign military installations, including those of China, France, and Japan.

Djibouti is witnessing an influx of Yemenis making the dangerous journey across the strait, with over 2,000 individuals reported to have arrived, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

Djibouti's Economy and Finance Minister Ilyas M. Dawaleh announced on social media that the country's navy, coast guard, and other specialized agencies are conducting rescue operations and providing emergency aid.