Sanaa, Yemen – Yemen’s Houthi group said Sunday it launched a large-scale ballistic missile and drone attack on a military base in southern Saudi Arabia, threatening further strikes as fighting in Yemen intensifies.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the attack targeted weapons depots and command-and-control facilities at a military base in Sharurah, a Saudi city near the Yemeni border, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
Sarea said a “large barrage” of ballistic missiles and drones was launched at the base and claimed the weapons directly hit their targets.
The Houthi spokesperson did not provide details on casualties or damage. Saudi authorities had not immediately commented on the claim, according to Xinhua.
Sarea said the operation was retaliation for continued Saudi military action in Yemen and warned that further escalation could trigger “larger operations” deeper inside Saudi territory.
The reported attack comes amid a sharp escalation in Yemen, where fighting has intensified across several fronts since the Houthis launched a major offensive on Sept. 3.
The Houthis have since made rapid territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, according to Xinhua. The group captured the strategic port city of Mocha on Thursday and expanded its control around the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Friday.
The Bab al-Mandab connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a critical maritime route for international shipping.
Yemen’s conflict began in late 2014 after the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.
With reports from Xinhua News Agency
