Yemen's Houthis have stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia, claiming ballistic missile strikes on Riyadh and surrounding areas, while a pro-Iranian official warned the United States against intervening in Yemen's conflict, promising a swift and painful response.
AI-generated summary
Hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces resumed in July and intensified in September, with a recent increase in the scale of attacks on Saudi territory.
The escalation continues in the Middle East between the Houthis of Yemen and Saudi Arabia. And the pro-Iranian rebels do not intend to see the United States interfere in the fighting. They in fact issued a warning to the Americans on Monday, whose support Riyadh has requested, so far without success.
Hostilities resumed in July between the Houthis and Yemeni government forces, as well as Saudi Arabia, which militarily supports the latter in Yemen, and intensified in September. But the scale of attacks on the Gulf petromonarchy has reached an unprecedented level in recent days.
New strong explosions in Riyadh
On Monday evening, strong explosions shook the Saudi capital again, and residents received a message on their phones from the authorities calling on them to take refuge âin a safe placeâ â for the first time in weeks. The Houthis shortly after claimed responsibility for a new attack on the airport, targeted several times in recent days, with Riyadh saying for its part that it had intercepted a ballistic missile.
Later, the coalition announced that it had intercepted two more ballistic missiles, this time in the southeast of the kingdom, near the border with Yemen. These missiles, launched âin the direction of Khamis Mushaitâ, a town where a Saudi military base has already been the target of attacks, were destroyed, the coalition said on X.
Donald Trump on Saturday deemed the attack the same day on the Saudi capital âunacceptableâ. The US president then declared on Monday that âthe Houthis are behaving very badly. They behave very badly. Itâs not good.â
Iran wants to âfacilitate dialogueâ
Pro-Iranian fighters have also warned Washington. âIf the United States becomes involved in aggression against Yemen, we will not procrastinate [âŠ]. The response will be swift and painful against the United States and all its interests in the region,â said a senior Houthi official, Mohammed Al Bukhaiti, interviewed by AFP in the Yemeni capital Sanaa. Faced with âthe stubbornness [of Riyadh] in favoring the military optionâ, he threatened the destruction of âall Saudi infrastructureâ and called on employees of Saudi oil sites and airports not to approach them.
Our articles on the situation in the Middle East
Iran, which supports the Houthis, reiterated on Monday that it was âdeeply concerned by the development of the situationâ, and willing to âfacilitate dialogue between the partiesâ.
AI outlook â possibilities, not facts
The Houthis will continue their ballistic missile attacks against Saudi Arabia as long as the conflict continues.
Very likely · Within weeks
Iran will continue to support the Houthis while calling for dialogue to avoid further escalation.
Likely · Within months

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