Saudi Arabia has warned of a growing regional security threat after a Houthi attack wounded 11 civilians in the kingdom's southern Najran province, raising fears that further coordinated strikes could follow.
The attack came as Saudi officials said intelligence shared with the United States and other regional partners indicated that Yemen's Houthis and Iran-backed Iraqi militias could be preparing joint attacks on key civilian infrastructure.
According to Major General Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition backing Yemen's internationally recognised government, the attack injured seven Saudi nationals, one Yemeni, two Egyptians and one Pakistani.
Among those hurt was a four-year-old child who suffered second-degree burns.
Al-Maliki accused the Houthis of "indiscriminately shelling civilian areas" in breach of international humanitarian law and said the coalition would continue taking "all necessary measures" to protect civilians.
The Houthis and Iran did not immediately respond to the allegations.
A senior Saudi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said intelligence from Saudi Arabia, the United States and other Middle Eastern countries suggested the Houthis and Iraqi militias, acting under the guidance of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were preparing further attacks.
The official said potential targets included energy facilities, ports and airports, adding that the planned operations appeared designed to undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts with Iran.
Despite the warning, the official said mediation efforts were moving "in the right direction" and stressed that Saudi Arabia remained committed to de-escalation.
The official also described security cooperation with Washington as "very high", including coordination with U.S. Central Command, and said the kingdom was prepared to respond to any aggression.
The renewed security concerns come as Saudi Arabia seeks closer defence cooperation with regional partners.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was expected to arrive in the kingdom on Friday (7 August), while Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived a day earlier. The three countries were due to sign a new defence agreement, although officials have not released details.
The attack highlights how Yemen's long-running conflict has become increasingly intertwined with wider regional tensions following the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
The Iran-aligned Houthis have stepped up attacks on Saudi military positions, infrastructure and shipping routes in recent weeks.
They claimed responsibility for an attack on Najran Airport earlier this week and, on Thursday, said they had launched a major missile and drone assault on Saudi-backed Yemeni forces in Marib and Hadramout, where Yemeni government sources reported more than 30 troops were killed.
Last month, Saudi Arabia said it carried out strikes alongside U.S. Central Command against Iran-backed groups in Iraq after blaming them for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. Iraqi militias later vowed to retaliate.
The latest developments underscore growing concerns that Yemen's conflict is becoming part of a broader regional confrontation involving Iran and its allied armed groups.
Australia has returned two ancient stone statue heads to China, more than 30 years after they were taken from imperial tombs in central China....
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global body responsible for monitoring money laundering and terrori...
The death toll from the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 5,000, accordi...
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia remains willing to rebuild relations with European countries but warned that any wider conflict on the continent would leave no winners, as he commented on recent diplomatic contacts with Nordic leaders and growing security concerns in the Baltic region.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorities disputed the findings, while Japan urged continued support for farmers seeking alternative livelihoods.
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
Georgia and Azerbaijan are stepping up efforts to boost trade, strengthen transport links between Asia and Europe and resolve a longstanding border dispute, as both countries seek to deepen their strategic partnership.
People travelling between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan could soon be able to pay for purchases using their usual banking apps. Central banks from the five countries are working on linking their national payment systems.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment