Houthi strikes in Yemen as Saudi Arabia braces for attacks: What we know

What the report says

Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen carried out a fresh wave of attacks on Thursday and Friday, striking Yemeni government positions in Hadramout and Marib and also hitting southern Saudi Arabia, according to Al Jazeera’s report. Yemeni government sources said at least 30 soldiers were killed and 15 more injured in missile strikes launched from al-Jawf governorate, while Saudi officials said an attack in Najran wounded 11 civilians, including a child.

The report said the latest violence targeted camps linked to government-backed units, including formations that secure areas near the Saudi border. It also said Yemeni air defenses intercepted some drones over Marib. Al Jazeera cited a senior Saudi official who said intelligence suggested the Houthis and Iraqi armed groups could prepare further attacks, possibly against energy sites, ports and airports.

Al Jazeera framed the escalation as part of a wider regional surge in tensions that has grown since the US-Israel war on Iran began. The story said the Yemen conflict, which dates to the Houthis’ 2014 seizure of Sanaa, has been further inflamed by recent clashes over Iranian activity, maritime routes and attacks on Saudi targets. Saudi Arabia has also moved to build a new international coalition to help protect Red Sea shipping.

The violence matters because it raises the risk of wider spillover in Yemen and along key regional trade and energy corridors. The article also noted that Houthi attacks have increasingly targeted Saudi military, infrastructure and shipping interests, deepening fears of a broader confrontation.