Saudi king condemns Houthis as Yemen fighting intensifies

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz has strongly condemned Yemen’s Houthi rebels, describing them as a “terrorist militia” after an alleged attempt to target the holy city of Makkah.

In a rare public statement on Tuesday, the Saudi monarch praised the country’s armed forces and security agencies for protecting the kingdom. He said the reported attempt to target Makkah was a serious provocation to Muslims around the world.

The Houthis have denied targeting the holy city. The accusation comes as fighting between the Iran-backed group and Saudi-supported Yemeni forces has sharply intensified in recent days.

The Houthis have reportedly captured strategic areas along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The development has raised concerns over regional security and international shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s important maritime routes.

Saudi Arabia has supported Yemen’s internationally recognised government and launched airstrikes in an effort to push back the Houthi advance. The rebels have responded with attacks on Saudi territory, including a strike targeting Riyadh.

The escalating conflict has also resulted in civilian casualties and mass displacement. Houthi authorities accused Saudi forces of carrying out strikes that killed civilians and detainees in several parts of Yemen. They said nine prisoners were killed in an attack on a detention facility, while other strikes reportedly killed civilians, including children.

Saudi authorities, meanwhile, issued a temporary warning to residents in the southern part of the kingdom near the Yemeni border. People were advised to remain indoors and stay away from open areas because of potential security threats.

Fighting between the two sides has reportedly killed more than 150 people over the past two days, according to figures cited from military sources on both sides. The figures could not be independently verified.

The renewed violence has forced thousands of Yemeni families to leave their homes. Many have already experienced displacement multiple times as the conflict continues to spread.

The United Nations has warned that the number of displaced people could rise significantly in the coming months if the fighting continues. More than 100,000 people have already been displaced inside Yemen, while others have attempted dangerous crossings across the Red Sea to escape the violence.

International pressure on the Houthis has also increased. Leaders of the Group of Seven have called on the group to immediately stop military operations and attacks or threats against civilian shipping. They also urged the Houthis to return to the political process.

The G7 further called on Iran to stop providing weapons and other support to the Houthis.

Britain has agreed to provide defensive military assistance to Saudi Arabia. Under the arrangement, a British tanker aircraft will provide air-to-air refuelling support for Saudi fighter jets involved in defending the kingdom against Houthi attacks.

British officials said the assistance was being provided for national security reasons and would comply with international humanitarian law.

France has also offered support to protect Saudi energy infrastructure. However, French officials clarified that the assistance would not involve direct participation in the conflict with the Houthis.

The renewed fighting has raised wider concerns because the Houthis have previously targeted energy facilities and commercial shipping in the region. Any further escalation could create additional risks for international trade and energy supplies.

The United Nations has warned that continued fighting could push displacement inside Yemen beyond 230,000 people. It also said the number of people attempting to flee across the Red Sea to Djibouti could rise sharply if the conflict worsens.