Yemen's internationally recognised government says Houthis fired six ballistic missiles at the Red Sea port of al-Makha, killing at least four civilians, with an AFP source reporting up to eight deaths. The government says civilian infrastructure and fishing boats were damaged, while the Houthis claim they hit Saudi-backed military build-ups and vessels. Houthi-run media also reported a drone strike on an Aramco site in Najran; Saudi authorities and Aramco have not confirmed the reports. The violence comes amid broader regional tensions and stalled US-Iran diplomacy.
Houthi Ballistic Missile Strike on Al-Makha Kills Civilians, Officials Say
Smoke rises during Houthi missile and drone strikes on the Red Sea port city of al-Makha, Yemen, August 9, 2026 [Reuters]
Yemen's internationally recognised government says the Houthi movement fired six ballistic missiles at the Red Sea port city of al-Makha (Mocha), killing civilians and damaging port infrastructure.
Government-aligned armed forces reported that the strike hit civilian facilities and national assets at the port. Initial accounts said four civilians were killed and several fishing boats set ablaze; an unnamed military official speaking to AFP gave a higher toll of at least eight fatalities, including two security personnel.
Houthi Claims
The Houthis said they launched a large volley of ballistic missiles against what they described as buildups, weapons and warships belonging to Saudi-backed forces and "mercenaries" in al-Makha, and claimed they destroyed boats and weapons. The Houthi-run SABA news agency separately cited a military source saying the group had targeted an Aramco facility in Najran, Saudi Arabia, with a drone.
The SABA source said the reported drone strike was a response to Saudi military aircraft entering airspace over northeastern Saada governorate. SABA did not identify a precise target or confirm whether it was struck.
Context And Verification
There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities or Aramco about the alleged strikes. The reported attacks follow a recent rise in hostilities between the Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognised government, including earlier Houthi drone strikes that they say targeted an Aramco refinery in Jazan.
The flare-up comes amid heightened regional tensions involving Iran, the US and other Gulf states, and at a time when US-Iran diplomacy is reported to be stalled. Iran's Supreme National Security Council has publicly demanded that the US lift sanctions and other measures; media reports have also described competing demands and responses from US officials.
Independent verification of some claims remains limited. Humanitarian and commercial consequences in al-Makha and surrounding coastal communities are a concern, especially if attacks against civilian infrastructure and fishing fleets continue.
Help us improve.
