Fighting escalates in Yemen; Houthi attacks trigger alerts in Saudi Arabia
Yemen's government accuses Houthis of killing three children as rebels claim Saudi forces launched 54 air raids in 12 hours.
Fighting has escalated across Yemen, with the country’s internationally recognised government blaming the Houthis for an artillery attack that killed three children, while Saudi Arabia accused the Iran-backed group of continuing to strike the kingdom’s infrastructure.
The claims on Wednesday came as the Houthis promised to retaliate for what they said were 54 Saudi airstrikes in a 12-hour span.
The renewed hostilities between the Saudi-backed government forces and the Houthis are unfolding amid intensifying regional tensions set off by the United States and Israel’s war on Iran. Pakistan warned on Tuesday that continued Houthi attacks could trigger the recently signed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a mutual security pact involving Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan.
Saudi Arabia’s civil defence authority also issued multiple alerts for Khamis Mushait and Abha on Wednesday and early on Thursday.