Houthi-Saudi attacks escalate, Riyadh claims it foiled strike on Mecca
The confrontation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Ansar Allah (the Houthis) is escalating, marked by ongoing Saudi airstrikes and reciprocal attacks on the Kingdom, while Ansar Allah forces expanded their presence on Yemen’s west coast toward the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait.
Saudi airstrikes targeted three communications towers in Taiz governorate, with separate strikes in Hajjah leaving one person dead and another injured, Ansar Allah-affiliated media reported Thursday.
The bombings follow Saudi Arabia’s accusation Wednesday that Ansar Allah attempted to strike the holy city of Mecca with a drone.
According to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, air defenses intercepted an Ansar Allah-launched drone south of Mecca before it entered the city’s restricted airspace. Coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki warned that Mecca’s security is a “red line,” threatening severe retaliatory measures against the group, which denied the allegations entirely.
From Mecca to Bab Al-Mandeb
In a new development, the Houthis have expanded their presence on Yemen’s western coast. This intensifies pressure on Saudi Arabia, which relies on the Red Sea for a portion of its oil exports after maritime disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz forced a rerouting of shipments.
The United Nations stated Wednesday that fighting has intensified on the western coast in recent days, as Ansar Allah forces seized several islands in the southern Red Sea. While commercial shipping remains largely unaffected, the developments have heightened fears in energy markets amid the ongoing crisis in Hormuz.
Ansar Allah recently announced that it considers navigation through Bab Al-Mandeb safe for all vessels except those linked to Saudi Arabia. The group described the move as part of a naval blockade imposed on the Kingdom.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said Wednesday that Saudi F-15 jets conducted 40 airstrikes across Taiz, Marib, and Hajjah over a 24-hour period. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Saudi warplanes launched strikes on Yemeni territory concurrently with Ansar Allah missile and drone launches toward Saudi cities.
Ansar Allah claimed to have downed a Saudi F-15 jet over Marib governorate, adding that it also targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu and the Khamis Mushait airbase. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the jet’s downing, and press reports noted that a video published by the Houthis has not been independently verified.
In Al Jawf governorate, clashes are ongoing between Yemeni government forces and Ansar Allah. Military sources told AFP that government troops recaptured sections of the Al-Labanat camp, while Ansar Allah retains control over other parts of the facility.
Mass displacement on the western coast
The escalating battles within Yemen are driving civilians to flee coastal areas. The UN noted that approximately 125,000 people have been displaced since early September, with over 2,300 fleeing the violence to the Obock region in Djibouti by Sept. 14.
The International Organization for Migration recently reported that more than 85,000 people have been internally displaced in Yemen since the escalation began. This wave reflects the conflict’s expansion from traditional front lines to the western coast, where control of ports, islands, and sites near Bab Al-Mandeb has become central to the battle.
Saudi Arabia’s accusation regarding the Mecca drone strike added a new dimension to the conflict, prompting Arab and Islamic nations to rapidly condemn the incident and express solidarity with the Kingdom. Egypt denounced the attempted attack as a violation of religious sanctities, reaffirming its rejection of any actions threatening Saudi or Egyptian national security.
Similar condemnations were issued by the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and other allied nations. All affirmed their unwavering support for Saudi Arabia in protecting its territories and holy sites.
This escalation unfolds as regional war fronts increasingly intersect. While Ansar Allah pressures Saudi Arabia from the south and the Red Sea, the Kingdom faces the fallout of Hormuz disruptions and relies more heavily on alternative oil export routes, making control of Bab Al-Mandeb both a critical security and economic imperative.