Houthi supporters hold a rally in Sanaa, Yemen, on July 17, 2026, against the Saudi-led coalition [Osamah Abdulrahman/AP Photo]
Reported by:
Cherry Meigh Timbol
News Content Editor
Published September 8, 2026
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement launched a major wave of missile and drone attacks against southern Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, striking cities and energy-related infrastructure and wounding at least 73 people, according to Saudi authorities.
The attacks hit Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, with Saudi officials saying women and children were among those injured. Fires were also reported at several energy and utility sites.
The escalation comes as fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces inside Yemen intensifies, raising concerns that the conflict could once again spread across the region.
Houthi Attacks Target Saudi Cities and Energy Infrastructure
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group carried out what he described as a broad operation using drones and ballistic missiles against Saudi targets, including energy infrastructure operated by Saudi oil giant Aramco.
Saudi authorities said the attacks affected civilian and economic facilities in the kingdom’s southern provinces. Operations at some energy facilities were temporarily halted while emergency teams assessed damage and dealt with fires.
One of the most strategically important facilities affected is the Jazan refinery, which has the capacity to process approximately 400,000 barrels of crude per day.
The full effect on Saudi oil production and exports remains unclear.
73 People Reportedly Wounded
Saudi authorities reported that 73 people were injured, including women and children.
The attacks represent one of the most serious recent escalations between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, particularly because they targeted multiple locations simultaneously.
Saudi coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said Riyadh would take necessary measures in response and vowed a firm reaction to what Saudi authorities described as attacks against civilian and economic facilities.
Houthis Say Attacks Were Retaliation
The Houthis have portrayed the attacks as retaliation for recent Saudi military operations in Yemen.
The group accused Saudi Arabia of conducting strikes against Houthi-controlled areas, including an alleged attack on a prison in Yemen’s northern al-Jawf province. Saudi Arabia has not immediately confirmed the allegations.
The renewed violence follows the collapse of a roughly four-year period of relative calm that had significantly reduced large-scale Saudi-Houthi fighting.
Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, have also launched counteroffensives against Houthi positions in several provinces.
A Wider Regional Conflict Is Taking Shape
The latest attacks are occurring against an already highly volatile regional backdrop.
The Houthis are aligned with Iran, while Saudi Arabia is a close U.S. partner. The simultaneous escalation involving Iran, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Yemen increases the possibility that separate conflicts could become increasingly interconnected.
The strategic geography is also important.
The Houthis have been seeking greater control around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime passage linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. At the same time, tensions surrounding Iran’s restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz have placed additional pressure on regional energy routes.
That creates a potentially dangerous situation in which disruptions at both maritime chokepoints could affect global energy and shipping markets.
Oil Prices Rise as Saudi Facilities Are Hit
The attacks immediately added to concerns about global oil supplies.
Brent crude rose toward $100 per barrel, while U.S. crude also climbed as investors assessed the potential impact of attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and the broader U.S.–Iran confrontation.
Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest oil exporter, meaning even temporary disruptions can create significant market anxiety.
The possibility of additional attacks on Saudi energy facilities could push prices higher if the conflict continues.
🎥 WATCH: Saudi-Yemen War | Houthis Launch Fresh Attack on Saudi Arabia — Aaj News
🧩 Bottom Line:
The Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are more than another episode in Yemen’s long-running conflict.
By targeting cities and energy infrastructure across southern Saudi Arabia, the Iran-aligned movement has demonstrated its ability to threaten one of the world’s most important oil-producing countries at a moment when global energy markets are already under severe pressure.
With 73 people reportedly wounded, energy facilities disrupted and Saudi Arabia promising retaliation, the next response from Riyadh could determine whether this remains a contained Saudi-Houthi escalation or becomes another major front in the expanding Middle Eastern conflict.
SOURCES: REUTERS – Houthi attacks disrupt Saudi energy facilities, wound 73, authorities say
AL JAZEERA – Saudi Arabia says 73 wounded as Houthis attack civilian and energy sites
