Houthis Fire Missiles at Saudi Arabia, Breaking Four-Year Truce

Yemen’s Houthi movement fired missiles at Saudi Arabia, breaking a four-year truce. The attack targeted the international airport in the southern city of Abha, while the Saudi-led military coalition said it had intercepted missiles launched toward the region.

The Houthis described the strike as retaliation for the earlier bombing of the airport in the capital, Sanaa, which they control. They also warned airlines against entering Saudi airspace until what they called the “siege” of Sanaa airport was lifted.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is backed by Riyadh, claimed responsibility for the attack on Sanaa airport. Its defense ministry said the runway had been targeted to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing in violation of Yemeni sovereignty. The aircraft ultimately landed at Hodeidah airport.

In addition, the Houthis reportedly detained an aircraft belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross at Sanaa airport, although the organization said its staff and the crew were safe and accounted for.

The serious escalation followed the collapse of crucial negotiations over an exchange of prisoners of war. Yemen has endured a devastating internal conflict for more than a decade, while a fragile informal truce in place since 2022 has largely curbed the worst of the violence.

However, the resumption of direct cross-border fighting along Saudi Arabia’s sensitive southern frontier could seriously threaten international maritime security in the strategic Red Sea and reignite a major humanitarian crisis across an already severely strained Middle East.

(Reuters, Max)