Saudi Arabia Vows Defences After Houthi Missile and Drone Attacks Injure Dozens

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has warned that the kingdom will not hesitate to defend itself after attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels injured dozens of civilians, including women and children. The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government stated that at least 73 civilians were wounded in the latest escalation by the Iran-aligned militia.

Saudi Arabia reported that the Yemeni rebels targeted energy sector sites in the kingdom's south, sparking fires, causing injuries, and halting operations. Coalition spokesman Maj Gen Turki Al Malki noted that the attacks struck civilian and economic sites in the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran.

Speaking during a press conference in Moscow alongside his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Prince Faisal described the assaults as part of a series of provocations. "We will always support peace and diplomatic solutions, but we will not hesitate to defend ourselves and we will not hesitate to protect our interests," he said.

The strikes drove up oil prices toward $100 a barrel as energy shipments remain restricted. The Houthis claimed they struck Saudi Aramco facilities in Abha, Jazan, Najran, and the Economic City, alongside King Khalid airbase in Khamis Mushait, utilizing numerous ballistic missiles and drones in response to coalition strikes.

Condemnations poured in from regional neighbors, including the UAE, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar, as well as Pakistan, whose Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed unwavering solidarity with the kingdom's security and territorial integrity.