Saudi Arabia Vows to Respond 'Firmly' to Houthi Attacks; Iran Denies Involvement

Phoenix News — Saudi Arabia vowed on September 15 to respond "firmly" to a series of new attacks on its territory by Yemen's Houthi group.

The Houthis launched fresh attacks on Saudi Arabia on September 14, accusing the kingdom of carrying out more than 50 airstrikes in the past 24 hours, according to AFP. Iran denied any role in the renewed conflict, which comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States in the Middle East.

The Houthis said on September 14 they had fired dozens of missiles and drones at a military airbase in Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia, targeting aircraft hangars, radar systems, runways and ammunition depots, in retaliation for Saudi airstrikes in Yemen. Saudi authorities issued emergency alerts in the area and three other southern cities. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said 13 civilians were wounded in the Houthi attacks, according to Reuters.

The group has made significant advances in recent days at the expense of Riyadh-backed government forces, with hundreds killed in the fighting. The Houthis expanded their control through a surprise attack at the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait, seizing the entire western coastline of Yemen on the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia has led a coalition fighting the Houthis since 2015, but the conflict had largely subsided under a ceasefire in recent years. Fighting resumed this month as the Houthis pushed back forces loyal to the internationally recognized government.

Oil exports via the Red Sea have gained increasing importance for Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude exporter, as Iran restricts shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, hindering much of the output from its eastern fields. Last week, Riyadh announced the suspension of an east-west pipeline transporting oil from fields to Red Sea coasts, following a drone attack it said originated from Iraq.