A Houthi attack from Yemen on southern Saudi Arabia injured 11 civilians, as Saudi authorities said intelligence indicates that the Houthis and Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq may be preparing to launch further coordinated attacks.
The spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government, Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, said the attack took place in Najran Province, in southern Saudi Arabia.
He said the injured included seven Saudi nationals, one Yemeni, two Egyptians, and one Pakistani. Among those wounded was a four-year-old child who suffered second-degree burns.
Al-Maliki accused the Iran-backed Houthis of carrying out indiscriminate attacks in civilian-populated areas, saying such actions violate international laws governing the protection of civilians during armed conflicts.
He said the Saudi-led coalition would continue taking all necessary measures to protect civilians.
The attack comes as a five-month conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran continues to affect Saudi Arabia’s security.
The more than decade-long tensions between Riyadh and the Tehran-backed Houthis are increasingly becoming part of the broader conflict in the Middle East.
Houthi activities, including disrupting maritime traffic in the Red Sea, have affected Saudi Arabia’s oil trade and heightened security concerns across the region.
A senior Saudi official, who was not named, said intelligence gathered by Saudi Arabia, the United States, and other countries in the Middle East indicates that the Houthis and Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq could be preparing coordinated attacks on various infrastructure facilities in Saudi Arabia.
He said the attacks could target energy infrastructure, ports, and airports.
Saudi Arabia is seeking to strengthen security cooperation with its allies as it continues to warn its citizens about potential threats from Iran-backed groups.
People familiar with the matter said that Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan were expected to sign a defense cooperation agreement in Saudi Arabia. Details of the agreement were not immediately disclosed.
Saudi Arabia already has a defense cooperation agreement with Pakistan. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to arrive on Friday.
The Saudi official said the indications of possible attacks were concerning, as Riyadh continues to support diplomatic efforts to find a solution to its tensions with Iran.
He said mediation efforts appear to be moving in a positive direction, but that potential attacks could be intended to undermine the diplomatic process.
On Tuesday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on Najran Airport, as part of a series of attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s military facilities, infrastructure, and maritime transportation.
On Thursday, the Houthis also killed more than 30 Yemeni government soldiers after attacking what they described as Saudi military positions in Yemen’s Marib and Hadramout provinces.
On July 29, Saudi Arabia announced that, in coordination with U.S. forces, it had carried out strikes against Iran-backed groups in Iraq after accusing them of launching drone attacks on its oil facilities. The Iraqi groups said they would retaliate against the strikes.
