ISTANBUL – Thirteen civilians were injured in ballistic missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group on three Saudi cities, according to the Saudi-led coalition.
Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said the attacks targeted Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif on Monday, leaving the victims with minor to moderate injuries. Seven homes and two vehicles were also damaged.
Al-Malki accused the Houthis of deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure and said the coalition would take measures under the right to self-defense.
The attacks came amid renewed escalation between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Saudi warplanes carried out 54 strikes across five Yemeni provinces over the previous 24 hours, using F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets. He warned that the strikes would not go unanswered.
The Houthis also claimed a large-scale missile and drone attack on King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait and threatened to expand their operations against Saudi Arabia.
Fighting between Yemen’s internationally recognized government forces and the Houthis has intensified since early July after years of relative calm. Yemen’s conflict began in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and other areas, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government. (Anadolu)
