The Saudi-led coalition intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles and four drones fired by Yemen's Houthi militia on Thursday. The strikes targeted the southern city of Jazan, which sits near energy and oil facilities that have come under fire in recent weeks, and Khamis Mushait, home to a critical airbase in the southwest.
The coalition, which blamed the "Houthi terrorist militia," confirmed the interceptions on X. Saudi Civil Defence reported that debris from a ballistic missile intercepted in Khamis Mushait province caused limited material damage.
These are the latest in a troubling series of Houthi attacks that began in July, when renewed hostilities shattered a years-long truce. The conflict has since dragged Yemen into the wider Middle East war, with the Houthis seizing the entire Red Sea coast, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait, in a lightning offensive in September.
The Houthis have also launched a blockade on Saudi energy exports, a move already strained by Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Yemen, one of the world's poorest nations, remains gripped by a vast humanitarian crisis as the war, which erupted in 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa, continues to tear the country apart.
The next phase of this escalating conflict will likely see further retaliatory strikes from the Saudi coalition, with international observers watching closely as the Houthis continue to leverage their control of key shipping lanes and energy infrastructure.