Thirteen injured in Houthi missile attacks on three Saudi cities

The Saudi-led coalition said early Tuesday that 13 civilians were injured in ballistic missile and drone attacks carried out by Yemen's Houthi group on three Saudi cities, marking a significant escalation in cross-border hostilities that have intensified since early July. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki stated that the strikes targeted Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif on Monday, causing minor to moderate injuries to 13 people.

Seven homes and two vehicles were also damaged in the attacks, he added. Al-Malki accused the Houthis of deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, noting that the coalition would take deterrent measures under the right to self-defense.

Emergency alerts issued amid retaliation threats

The General Directorate of Saudi Civil Defense issued "potential danger" alerts early Tuesday for six cities — Jeddah, Yanbu, Taif, Abha, Jazan and Alula — before later announcing that the danger "has passed." "For your safety, continue following #CivilDefense instructions and avoid gathering and filming. In case of emergency, call (911)," the directorate said.

The alerts came after Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Monday that Saudi warplanes carried out 54 strikes across five Yemeni provinces over the previous 24 hours. Saree said F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets were used in the strikes and warned they "would not go unanswered."

Saree added that the group had also conducted a large-scale missile and drone attack on King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait and threatened to expand operations against the Kingdom. Riyadh has not confirmed the extent of damage at the military facility.

Years of relative calm shattered

Confrontations between Yemen's internationally recognized government forces and the Houthis have escalated sharply since early July following years of relative calm along the border. The Arab world's poorest nation has been engulfed in war since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and several provinces in 2014.

A Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the internationally recognized government, triggering one of the world's worst humanitarian crises despite repeated UN-brokered truce attempts. More than 150,000 people have been killed in the conflict, with millions displaced and dependent on international aid.