Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued emergency guidance early on Thursday as Houthi missile and drone attacks intensified. In a post on X, the Civil Defence urged residents to remain calm and follow official instructions.
Houthi attacks on the kingdom continued even as Saudi Arabia had sent a warning to Tehran through Pakistan to rein in the Houthis.
The Iran-backed militia launched “ballistic missiles and drones” on the cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha and Jazan on Wednesday, said Maj Gen Turki Al Malki, spokesman for the coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government. The coalition on Wednesday said Houthi attacks had injured at least 73 civilians in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. Saudi Arabia responded with 54 air strikes across Yemen, the Houthi rebels said.
Maj Gen Al Malki said the coalition would deal with the Houthi attacks responsibly to protect the kingdom’s sovereignty and national assets, as well as civilians and civilian objects.
He said this would be in accordance with the principle of self-defence under international law.
The warning to Tehran was delivered by Pakistan on Tuesday to restrain the Houthis, Reuters reported, citing Saudi, Pakistani and Iranian sources.
Pakistan has a defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey that considers an attack on one country as an attack on all three. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that Islamabad is currently pursuing a diplomatic solution but warned that “unprovoked aggression or spillover … into Saudi Arabia will definitely make this agreement operational”.
An Iranian official confirmed the delivery of Saudi Arabia's message, but said that Tehran “does not control the Houthis”. Two Iranian sources told Reuters that Tehran had instructed the Houthis last week to attack Saudi Arabia and had promised additional funding and weapons.
Despite extensive backing by Tehran since their takeover of Sanaa in 2014, the Houthis have continuously attempted to establish themselves as an Iranian partner, not a proxy. They are viewed as more reckless than proxies such as Lebanon's Hezbollah, which is directly under Tehran's command.
“The Houthis have their own ambitions,” Former US deputy special envoy for Yemen Allison Minor earlier told The National. “The Houthis are more dangerous. They have at times been more reckless in pursuing their vision than Tehran.”
It remains to be seen whether the Houthis will heed Saudi Arabia's warning or continue to escalate their own attacks as the US-Iran war intensifies.
