RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has said that Yemen’s Houthi rebels have carried out attacks on various cities, injuring 73 people, including women and children.
According to Major General Turki bin Saleh al-Maliki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, the Houthis targeted the Saudi cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran, injuring 73 people.
The spokesman said in a press release on X that the attacks targeted civilian and economic facilities, to which the coalition will respond strongly.
The attacks came at a time when the Houthis have accused Saudi Arabia of targeting various areas of Yemen with airstrikes.
According to the Houthi news agency Saba News Agency, Saudi Arabia has targeted various locations in the provinces of Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda, Marib and Taiz with airstrikes and cruise missiles.
In addition, an airstrike was also blamed on a prison in the northern city of Al-Hazm. According to the Houthis, the attack killed seven people, including a child, and wounded at least seven others, including a woman.
According to Al Jazeera, Anis Al-Asbahi, a spokesman for the Houthi-controlled Ministry of Health, said that the attack was carried out on the Central Correctional Facility in Al-Jawf province. The Houthi TV channel Al-Masirah also broadcast footage after the alleged attack, in which a building can be seen collapsed and people can be seen searching in the rubble.
On the Houthi attacks, Major General Al-Maliki added that the joint command of the coalition forces will take all necessary military measures to stop this “terrorist militia” and fully confront its aggressive intentions.
He said that these measures will be taken to defend Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, protect national assets, and ensure the security of citizens and residents.
On the other hand, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree accused Saudi Arabia of “massacres” in Yemen, saying that Saudi planes were carrying out reconnaissance flights and providing weapons to mercenaries.
He claimed that the Houthis had shot down four Saudi spy drones in the past 24 hours, including a CH-4 drone.
Fighting has intensified in Yemen in recent weeks between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government. The Houthis, who call themselves Ansar Allah, are allies of Iran and are fighting Yemeni government forces, which are backed by Saudi Arabia. They control northern Yemen, the Red Sea coast and the capital Sanaa.
The UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has urged the parties to immediately stop fighting and show maximum restraint. He warned that the current tensions could escalate into a full-scale war.
