UN Warns Escalating Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Threaten to Widen Regional Conflict

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg has issued a strong appeal to the Houthis, urging an immediate halt to missile and drone strikes targeting Saudi Arabia. Grundberg warned that these attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure severely jeopardize ongoing efforts to achieve a political resolution.

The Saudi Civil Defence reported issuing alerts regarding potential threats in the southern city of Khamis Mushait before confirming the danger had passed. Meanwhile, the Iran-aligned Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on an airbase located in the same area in the southern region of the kingdom.

“These attacks threaten to widen the conflict, put civilians at grave risk and undermine efforts towards a political solution,” Grundberg stated. He specifically called on Ansar Allah to cease hostilities both within Saudi Arabia and across Yemen, while also condemning ongoing Houthi aggression against commercial vessels, which the UN Security Council has noted poses severe dangers to international shipping and civilians under international humanitarian law.

According to the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government, the latest escalation resulted in at least 73 civilian injuries. The coalition reported that energy sector sites in the kingdom's south were targeted, causing fires and injuries while disrupting operations across Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran.

The Houthis asserted that they utilized numerous ballistic missiles and drones to strike Saudi Aramco facilities and the King Khalid airbase. They described the action as a retaliation against coalition airstrikes in Bayda, Hodeidah, Jawf, Marib, and Taiz, threatening further escalation unless the coalition halts its operations.

This renewed violence coincides with a broader regional confrontation involving Iran and its allies, drawing international concern as the 2022 ceasefire in Yemen effectively unravels. UN data highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis, noting that over 22 million people in Yemen require assistance, 5.2 million are internally displaced, and 18.3 million face acute food insecurity.