Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched a major attack on Najran province in southern Saudi Arabia. Eleven civilians, including a four-year-old child, were injured in the attack. The Saudi-led military coalition confirmed the attack and warned that Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Iraqi armed groups could launch further attacks on civilian areas and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki accused the Houthi rebels of deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in violation of international humanitarian law. He also stated that all necessary steps would be taken to ensure the safety of civilians.
According to the military coalition, Houthi rebels launched indiscriminate missile and rocket attacks on residential areas in Najran province late Thursday night. Seven Saudis, one Yemeni, two Egyptians, and one Pakistani were injured in the attack. The injured Saudis included a woman and a four-year-old child.
Meanwhile, there has been no official response from either the Houthi rebels or Iran to the military alliance’s allegations. The ongoing conflict between Iran, the US, and Israel over the past five months has exacerbated Saudi Arabia’s security challenges.
A senior Saudi official said that according to intelligence gathered by Saudi Arabia, the US, and other Middle East countries, Houthi rebels in Yemen and Iraqi armed groups could soon launch a major joint attack on Saudi Arabia. These potential attacks, which could be overseen by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), could target energy plants, ports, airports, and other vital civilian infrastructure.