Riyadh/Sanaa, September 16: Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi forces have sharply escalated, with fresh missile and drone attacks, fighting along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and growing concerns over one of the region’s key shipping routes.
Saudi Arabia said its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday evening, before it entered the restricted airspace over the holy city. Saudi-led coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki described the security of Mecca and the two holy mosques as a “red line”.
The Houthis, however, have denied targeting Mecca and rejected the Saudi allegation. The conflicting claims could not be independently verified.
The latest incident came amid a wider surge in fighting. Saudi authorities said Houthi missile and drone attacks targeting areas including Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif injured 13 people and damaged homes and vehicles. The Houthis have claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi military and energy-related targets, describing them as retaliation for Saudi strikes in Yemen.
The conflict has also intensified along Yemen’s western coastline. Houthi forces have captured the strategic port city of Mokha and gained control of territory and islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to reports from regional officials and international news agencies. The waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a major route for global shipping.
The renewed fighting follows years of relative calm after a UN-backed truce reduced large-scale hostilities in 2022. Fighting between the Houthis and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government has intensified in recent weeks, while Saudi Arabia has again become directly involved through air operations and other military measures.
The escalation is also raising concerns over oil supplies and maritime trade. Saudi Arabia relies on Red Sea routes as an alternative export pathway when shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted. Any prolonged instability around Bab el-Mandeb could therefore have wider consequences for energy markets and international shipping.
Meanwhile, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo as Riyadh seeks greater regional support. Both sides stressed the importance of keeping navigation through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb safe and open.
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