Houthis Say Saudi Arabia Launched 58 Airstrikes in 24 Hours After Rare Drone-Missile Assault

Yemen's Houthi movement said on Sunday that Saudi Arabia had conducted 58 airstrikes against Houthi positions within a 24-hour period, after the group launched a rare drone-and-missile attack on a military base inside Saudi Arabia.

The renewed exchange of strikes follows months of escalating tensions that reignited into open fighting in July, when the Houthis declared a maritime blockade on Saudi shipping and began targeting vessels in the Red Sea.

The Houthis say their recent week-long offensive culminated in the capture of Yemen's Red Sea coast, strengthening their hold over the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait — a vital route for global shipping and a key artery for Saudi oil exports.

Claims, Damage and Casualties

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree posted on Telegram that "the criminal Saudi enemy has carried out 58 airstrikes in the past 24 hours." The group also said this week it carried out its heaviest missile-and-drone attack in years against Saudi targets, setting oil facilities on fire and wounding 73 people.

“Weapons depots and command and control centres that are managing the aggression against our nation and people were targeted,” Saree wrote, referring to a strike the group says hit the Sharurah military base in southern Saudi Arabia.

Almasirah, the Houthi-linked TV channel, reported Saudi strikes on Saada province and on a market in northern Al-Jawf, and said artillery fire was active in the border district of Monabbih. The Houthis also claim more than 100 strikes against their positions since Tuesday; Riyadh has not publicly confirmed those totals.

Impact on Civilians and Displacement

Fighting in recent weeks has driven a significant humanitarian toll. A UN agency said nearly 86,000 people had been displaced — a surge of roughly 10,000 in one day — and the International Organization for Migration reported that more than 2,000 displaced Yemenis had reached Djibouti after fleeing the violence. Yemen's long-running war has already caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and a major humanitarian emergency.

Saudi civil defence agencies continue to issue frequent short alerts in southern border regions, warning of possible attacks; on Sunday alerts were briefly issued for Abha and the Khamis Mushait area. Saudi authorities reported two injuries after a projectile struck the Jizan region on Saturday.

Regional Context And External Involvement

The renewed hostilities have occurred amid wider regional tensions. The upsurge began in July after the Houthis allowed an Iranian aircraft to land in defiance of Saudi control over Yemeni airspace; the Yemeni government responded by striking Sanaa airport, which the Houthis blamed on Riyadh.

U.S. news site Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman contacted the U.S. president last week to request support for strikes against Houthi targets; Axios said the request was declined. Independent verification of some claims from both sides is limited, and Riyadh has so far provided only selective public confirmations.

Note: Casualty and strike figures in this report are based largely on Houthi and UN agency statements and remain independently unverified by Saudi authorities at the time of reporting.