The Houthi movement says Saudi forces carried out 26 strikes in 24 hours and about 300 over the past week amid a broader surge in fighting across Yemen. Yemen's government reported killing 30 Houthi fighters and wounding more than 60 in Taiz province, while civilians — including children — have reportedly died. The UN Security Council warned the escalation could widen the conflict and disrupt maritime trade, and the US and EU have increased diplomatic and naval vigilance to protect shipping through the Bab al‑Mandeb.
Houthis Say Saudi Forces Launched 26 Strikes In 24 Hours As Yemen Fighting Intensifies
Supporters of the Houthi authorities brandish their weapons and hold up a portrait of the group's leader, Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, during a protest against Saudi Arabia's intervention in Yemen and its accusation that the Houthis launched a drone towards the holy city of Mecca, in Sanaa on September 18, 2026 [AFP]
Yemen's Houthi movement has accused Saudi forces of launching 26 strikes in the past 24 hours and roughly 300 attacks over the last week against areas under Houthi control, AFP reported. The allegations come amid a sharp escalation of hostilities across multiple fronts in Yemen.
Clashes and Casualties
Yemen's internationally recognised government, supported by Saudi Arabia, said its forces killed 30 Houthi fighters and wounded more than 60 during clashes in the al-Waziiyah district of Taiz province—one of several hotspots where fighting intensified this week. Both sides have reported civilian victims: independent verification remains difficult amid the chaos of battle.
Earlier in the week, both sides reported that at least five people, including three children, were killed in separate incidents. Saudi authorities said one person was killed in Taif governorate after a Houthi drone was intercepted, while Houthi-aligned media reported civilian deaths from Saudi strikes in Taiz and the town of Abs.
Domestic Mobilisation And Territory
Tens of thousands of people marched through Sanaa in a public demonstration of support for the Iran-aligned Houthis and in opposition to Saudi actions. The Houthis have pressed territorial gains that now include stretches of Yemen's Red Sea coastline and advances near the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime chokepoint for global trade.
International Reaction
The United Nations Security Council condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, saying they have caused civilian casualties, including women and children, and damaged energy infrastructure. In a statement released on Friday, the council warned that the military escalation, attacks on Saudi Arabia and threats to international shipping "are all factors that threaten to widen the conflict, endanger maritime security and international trade, and undermine regional and international efforts to achieve peace in Yemen."
"The military escalation being carried out by the Houthis in Yemen, their continued attacks on Saudi Arabia, and the attacks and threats to international shipping in the Red Sea, along with the Houthis' advance near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, are all factors that threaten to widen the conflict, endanger maritime security and international trade, and undermine regional and international efforts to achieve peace in Yemen."
UN Security Council members also expressed concern over reports that at least 125,000 people have been displaced across Yemen since the start of September and called for an immediate halt to attacks, while voicing solidarity with Saudi Arabia and affirming its right to self-defence under international law.
US officials held talks with Houthi representatives at the American embassy in Muscat, Oman, after swift Houthi gains raised alarm about the security of shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb. According to reports, the Houthis assured US interlocutors that vessels not associated with Saudi Arabia would not be targeted.
Despite Saudi requests for direct US strikes against the Houthis, Washington has so far been cautious, wary of opening a new front while tensions with Iran continue to shape regional dynamics.
Meanwhile, European Union officials said the bloc's Red Sea naval operation, Operation Aspides, has raised its alert level as the regional security situation worsens. EU representatives emphasised diplomatic efforts to protect shipping lanes and restore freedom of navigation in nearby waterways.
What To Watch
Key developments to follow include further shifts in control along the Red Sea coast and near Bab al-Mandeb, the humanitarian toll and displacement figures, and whether major external powers choose to increase military involvement or intensify diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation.
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