Iran‑backed Houthis in Yemen announced overnight that they launched missiles and drones at a Saudi military installation in Sharurah province, Najran region. The claim was made by Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesperson, who provided no evidence or exact timing of the strike.
Saudi response and civilian impact
Saudi civil defense said a projectile fell in al‑Tawwal governorate near the Yemeni border, injuring two people, damaging a mosque and several other buildings. The agency blamed the Houthis for the incident. Sirens also sounded in Sharurah province, though no casualties were reported there.
Recent Houthi gains along the Red Sea
In recent days the rebels captured the key port city of Mokha and an island on the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait, a vital alternative shipping lane to the Strait of Hormuz. The swift advance has alarmed regional markets and Yemeni civilians, who fear a return to full‑scale civil war.
The Saudi‑backed Yemeni government described the loss of Mokha as “painful and regrettable.” Sultan al‑Arada, a member of the ruling presidential council and governor of Marib province, said government forces are regrouping and will return to the battle in one form or another.
Yemeni government and resistance statements
A senior Yemeni official, speaking anonymously, blamed a “lack of coordination” between the Yemeni army and allied militias for the Houthi success, calling it a “priceless opportunity” for the rebels. The official also expressed surprise that the Saudi air force did not intervene to stop the capture of Mokha, located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the Bab el‑Mandeb.
The National Resistance, a government‑aligned force that previously held coastal areas, reported more than 500 of its fighters killed on the west coast over the past four weeks, with about 1,500 wounded since August 9. The group also claimed over 1,000 Houthis have been killed in Hodeida and Taiz provinces.
Humanitarian fallout
The International Organization for Migration said more than 85,000 people have been displaced since the start of the month, as civilians flee the fighting along the Red Sea coast. Over 2,000 Yemenis have already crossed the Bab el‑Mandeb into Djibouti, seeking safety.
Djibouti’s Economy and Finance Minister Ilyas M. Dawaleh announced on X that the country’s navy, coast guard and specialized agencies are conducting rescue operations and providing emergency assistance to the arrivals.
Strategic implications
The Houthi advance brings the rebels within roughly 20 miles (32 kilometers) of the U.S. military base in Djibouti, the main American installation in Africa, which sits alongside Chinese, French and Japanese bases. While the Houthis have said they do not threaten commercial shipping, markets remain wary and oil prices have risen again.
There has been no official Saudi statement on the latest attacks, and the Saudi air force has not publicly confirmed any response to the Houthi gains.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
