Houthis Claim Missile, Drone Strikes On Aramco Facility, Air Base In Saudi As Gulf Tensions Escalate | World News

Last Updated:September 16, 2026, 17:48 IST

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said Saudi Arabia had conducted more than 450 airstrikes this week.

Houthis targeted the Khamis Mushait air base in southern Saudi Arabia as part of the operation. (File image)

Middle-East Tensions: Yemen’s Houthi group on Wednesday claimed it had targeted an Aramco facility in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu and an air base in southern Saudi Arabia, saying the attacks were carried out in response to Saudi airstrikes in Yemen.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said Saudi Arabia had conducted more than 450 airstrikes this week.

Saree said the group targeted the Aramco facility in Yanbu with “dozens of ballistic missiles and drones”, claiming the attack caused fires at the facility.

He also said the Houthis targeted the Khamis Mushait air base in southern Saudi Arabia as part of the operation.

However, the attack claims can’t be verified.

The latest claims come amid a sharp escalation in hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi air defences reportedly intercepted and destroyed a drone south of Mecca on Tuesday, before it could enter the restricted airspace over the holy city.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis said the drone was heading towards Mecca. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said the security of Islam’s two holiest sites and pilgrims was a “red line” and warned that necessary deterrent measures would be taken.

Saudi Arabia described the incident as the second alleged Houthi attempt to target Mecca. The kingdom had previously linked a ballistic missile launch in July 2017 to an attempted attack on the holy city.

The Houthis have denied that they targeted Mecca. Houthi official Hazem al-Assad dismissed the Saudi-led coalition’s claim as a “worn-out lie”.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), meanwhile, condemned what it described as a “heinous” attack and expressed support for Saudi Arabia amid the escalation.

Houthi official al-Assad said the group’s response would continue and escalate as long as Saudi Arabia persisted in what the Houthis describe as aggression against Yemen.

The widening conflict has also raised concerns over the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key maritime route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

Qatar has warned of serious consequences if the strategic waterway is closed, with a foreign ministry official describing such a development as potentially “catastrophic for the entire world”.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Which Saudi Aramco facility and air base did the Houthis claim to target in September 2026?

The Houthis claimed they targeted an Aramco facility in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu using dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, which they alleged caused fires at the site. Additionally, the group claimed to target the Khamis Mushait air base in southern Saudi Arabia as part of the same operation.

Why did the Houthis claim to launch the September 2026 attacks on Saudi Arabia?

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that the attacks were carried out in response to Saudi airstrikes in Yemen. Saree claimed that Saudi Arabia had conducted more than 450 airstrikes over the week leading up to the operation.

How did Saudi Arabia and the OIC respond to the drone intercepted near Mecca?

Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki warned that the security of Islam’s two holiest sites is a “red line” and that necessary deterrent measures would be taken. Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the incident as a “heinous” attack and expressed its support for Saudi Arabia.

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Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre…Read More

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