Jutranja novica.

Saudi Arabia pledged to take all necessary operational measures to deter Yemen’s Houthi rebels after drone and missile strikes injured at least 73 civilians and damaged energy infrastructure in the kingdom’s southern provinces. The attacks, which targeted the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran, occurred on Tuesday as fighting intensified within Yemen. Major General Turki al-Maliki, the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, characterized the incidents as a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of Saudi sovereignty. He stated that the coalition would neutralize the threat to the security of citizens and residents. A separate statement from the Saudi Ministry of Energy confirmed that several facilities and installations in the southern region were hit early Tuesday, causing fires and forcing a temporary halt to some operations. The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, declared that his forces had conducted a large-scale, long-range military operation using dozens of ballistic missiles and drones. Saree asserted that the strikes were a direct response to more than 120 air strikes allegedly carried out by Saudi Arabia over the previous three days. These Saudi strikes, according to Houthi accounts, targeted the Yemeni provinces of Marib, al-Bayda, Hudaydah, Taiz, and Jawf. Saree warned that the group would respond with even stronger and wider strikes if the aggression continued. The Houthi-affiliated Saba news agency reported that seven people, including one child, were killed in a Saudi air strike on a prison in Al-Hazm in the northern al-Jawf governorate. Riyadh has not commented on this specific allegation. On the ground in Yemen, forces loyal to the internationally recognized government have launched a counteroffensive aimed at retaking territory from the Houthis. Yemen’s Deputy Defence Minister, Major General Samir al-Sabri, told state television that the government had decided to retake Sanaa, the capital. Majid al-Nuzaili, a spokesman for the government-aligned forces, stated that the campaign aims to free Yemen from the grip of the Ansar Allah group, also known as the Houthis, and restore Sanaa as a capital for all Yemenis. Pro-government forces reported starting a ground offensive toward the al-Labanat mountains in al-Jawf, conducting rocket strikes on Yatma, and advancing toward Dhi Na’im district in al-Bayda. Officials described intense battles involving ground troops in Taiz, Bayda, and Jawf, with the latter province viewed as a key gateway to the capital. However, Houthi officials disputed the government’s claims of progress. Mohammed al-Farah, a member of the Ansar Allah political bureau, stated that Houthi forces had pushed back the advance toward al-Labanat, killing or injuring dozens of pro-government fighters. He added that Houthi units targeted reinforcements in al-Jawf with ballistic missiles. Earlier in the week, Saree claimed that Houthi forces had shot down a Saudi CH-4 armed reconnaissance drone over al-Jawf while it was conducting hostile activities in the Khabb wa ash Shaaf District. Additionally, Houthi statements indicated that three reconnaissance drones from the neighboring kingdom were downed within a 24-hour period. The escalation marks the worst flare-up since a United Nations-brokered informal truce halted large-scale hostilities in 2022. That four-year-old ceasefire began to unravel in July when the Houthis announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia. The rebels began attacking Saudi airports, oil facilities, and tankers in the Red Sea, citing retaliation for a Saudi blockade of ports and airports in their territory and an air strike on Sanaa airport. Heavy fighting has persisted on Yemen’s south-western coast since Thursday of the previous week, when the Houthis launched an offensive against pro-government forces to seize control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This waterway connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Local sources estimate that the fighting has left more than 300 people dead and displaced approximately 18,500 to 21,000 individuals, primarily from Taiz. The conflict has gained broader regional significance due to the ongoing war between the United States, Israel, and Iran. The Houthis have blockaded Saudi ships in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, while Iran has restricted shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. This dual blockade has made the Red Sea crucial for oil shipments from Saudi Arabia, as the Strait of Hormuz has effectively closed. The World Health Organization reported that at least 728 people had been killed or wounded since August 23, primarily in Taiz and along Yemen’s western coast. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan condemned the Houthi actions as selfish, accusing the group of attempting to export its internal problems to Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government. He emphasized that while the path to diplomacy remains open and Saudi Arabia supports diplomatic solutions, the kingdom will never hesitate to defend itself and its interests. The Saudi Foreign Ministry also condemned the continued targeting of commercial vessels in the Red Sea and threats to international maritime navigation. The ministry reaffirmed the kingdom’s right to protect its sovereignty and territory, calling for an immediate halt to all forms of escalation. The Saudi-led coalition has supported Yemen’s government against the Iran-backed Houthis for more than a decade, since the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014 and prompted a military intervention the following year.