At least five people have been killed as the conflict intensifies between the Iran-backed Houthi movement and the internationally recognized Yemeni government, which is supported by Saudi Arabia. This week, Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis of a «cowardly» strike on Mecca, Islam’s holiest city and a site for Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. The Houthis have denied these allegations.
Meanwhile, the Houthis claimed that Saudi airstrikes hit three telecommunications towers in the city of Taiz in southwestern Yemen. According to the Houthi-aligned Almisrah TV, one civilian was killed in the city of Abs in the country’s northwest. The channel later reported that three children were killed in strikes carried out by the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
Escalation consequences and naval blockade
The Saudi Arabia Civil Defense agency reported that one person was killed in the Mecca region by debris from an intercepted drone. The falling debris also damaged buildings and vehicles. This marks the first recorded death in Saudi Arabia during the current escalation between the two sides.
A truce between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, established in 2022, collapsed in July after the Iran-backed group allowed an Iranian plane to land in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. This challenged Saudi Arabia’s control over Yemeni airspace. Following the escalation, the Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis have controlled Sanaa and much of Yemen’s densely populated western regions since the civil war began in 2014. The group reported dozens of Saudi strikes following its recent offensive, which aimed to secure control over coastal areas near the Bab-el-Mandeb strait—one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.
The importance of the strait has grown since Iran imposed restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz amid the war between the US, Israel, and Iran. According to the UN, the conflict in Yemen has forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes.
Source: Deutsche Welle
