Houthis' missile and drone strikes kill 58 Yemeni troops and wound civilians in Saudi Arabia

Missile and drone attacks attributed to Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement on Thursday killed at least 58 government troops and injured dozens, according to a military source who asked to remain anonymous. The strikes also wounded 11 civilians in Saudi Arabia's southern Najran province, including a four-year-old child who suffered second-degree burns.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the operations targeted government positions in response to what he described as a Saudi-backed military buildup. A senior Saudi military spokesperson, Major General Turki al-Maliki, said the attacks injured seven Saudi nationals, one Yemeni, two Egyptians and one Pakistani, and accused the Houthis of indiscriminate shelling that violates international humanitarian law.

Saudi officials warned that intelligence assessments indicate the Houthis, together with Iraqi militias under the supervision of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, could soon coordinate attacks on Saudi civilian sites such as energy facilities, ports and airports. The same source said Saudi-U.S. security cooperation remains "very high" and that Riyadh is prepared to take necessary measures in response to any aggression.

The escalation follows recent Houthi claims of responsibility for an attack on Najran airport and a broader pattern of strikes on Saudi military, infrastructure and shipping targets. Saudi Arabia has also conducted strikes, in coordination with U.S. Central Command, against Iran-backed groups in Iraq after attributing drone attacks on its oil facilities to those militias.

Amid the heightened tensions, Saudi Arabia is pursuing deeper security ties with regional partners, including a pending defense agreement with Turkey and Pakistan. Pakistani officials highlighted the broader significance of the visit beyond the immediate crisis, while Saudi-Pakistan defense cooperation, established in 2025, continues to develop.