Houthi Missiles Strike Saudi Arabia Amid Heavy Yemen Border Fighting

The Houthi group launched a series of preemptive missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia on September 24, 2026, targeting military positions in the Jizan region, a site in Riyadh, and an Aramco facility in Yanbu. Brigadier General Yahya Saree stated the operations targeted command centers and troop concentrations, claiming the strikes caused hundreds of casualties among Saudi, Yemeni, and Sudanese personnel. The Houthis characterized the offensive as retaliation for over 1,000 Saudi air and missile strikes in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia reported intercepting six ballistic missiles aimed at Taif and Yanbu, while the Saudi Civil Defense issued security alerts for Makkah, Jeddah, and Tabuk. Saudi Arabia did not immediately confirm the claimed strikes in Riyadh and Yanbu. The escalation follows the July collapse of a 2022 truce and a naval blockade imposed by the Sana’a administration, which has forced Aramco to reduce crude prices for Asian buyers due to export restrictions.

Simultaneously, ground fighting in Yemen intensified, resulting in at least 150 deaths within 24 hours. Clashes occurred in the Kahboub Mountains and between the Lahj and Taiz regions, with 98 government forces members and 52 Houthi fighters killed. Houthi forces also captured strategic heights in Lahij province and Perim Island, expanding their control over the Bab al-Mandab strait.