Yemen Houthi rebels launch new attacks on Saudi Arabia and Aden

Yemeni Houthi rebels said they launched attacks on Saudi oil facilities and airports on Saturday, France 24 reported. Yemen's Saudi backed government stated that the group also fired three ballistic missiles at coast guard sites in Aden, according to France 24. [1]

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco facility in Yanbu, the Rabigh oil refinery, crude oil pumping stations, and the East-West Pipeline, France 24 reported. France 24 noted that Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the reports and it was unclear if targets were hit or intercepted. [1]

Houthi media reported that Saudi air strikes killed 11 people in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Saturday, the South China Morning Post reported. The report added that the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two missiles targeting Saudi cities shortly before those strikes. [3]

The United States ordered diplomats and embassy staff to depart Saudi Arabia amid escalating tensions, according to reports from The Daily Star, TheDailyNewsOnline.com, and Apa.az. [2][4][7]

The Houthis are an Iran-backed Shia political and paramilitary group that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. The military actions follow recent developments, as FTMQ News reported earlier that Australia upgraded its travel advice for Saudi Arabia to do not travel due to Houthi threats. [12][15]