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The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have attacked several cities in Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 people and knocking operations at energy facilities offline, the Saudi-led coalition said on Tuesday in a further sign of the conflict spreading as diplomacy stalls.
The coalition vowed a firm response to attacks on the southern cities of Abha, Khamis, Mushait, Jazan and Najran, as the country’s energy ministry said a number of facilities had been hit, causing fires and temporarily halting some operations.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sarea said that the Yemeni group would soon announce a broad military operation “deep” into Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen and much of the north, have been launching attacks towards Saudi Arabia since they declared a naval blockade against Riyadh in July, with strikes targeting its vessels in the Red Sea.
Iran meanwhile threatened the US with “economic warfare” on Tuesday and said that it had fired an advanced missile at US warships.
Tehran has vowed to announce a new restricted zone in the Gulf in the coming days in an effort to further squeeze shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, driving up oil prices and piling pressure on US president Donald Trump to end the war.
Catch up: Iran says improved ballistic missile shows it will take preemptive action against threats
Iran state media on Monday said a ballistic missile with improved capabilities was demonstrating a new doctrine: Tehran “will take action against any threat, even before it is carried out.”
The report by Iran’s state news agency repeatedly cited comments aired on state TV the day before by the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, who boasted of new missile capability and claimed it had been “tested” against a U.S. warship.
But it was not clear whether what was tested was the missile the new report described, the solid-fueled Qassem Basir.
James Reynolds8 September 2026 09:20
In pictures: Houthi attack on trucks coming from Saudi territory
Trucks explode as they burn, during what the Houthis say was an attack targeting trucks coming from Saudi territory, at Al-Wadiah border crossing (Reuters)
Smoke rises from a burning truck during what the Houthis say was an attack targeting trucks coming from Saudi territory (Reuters)
James Reynolds8 September 2026 08:40
Recap: Saudi-led coalition in Yemen says 73 people injured in Houthi attacks
Iran-backed Houthi militia attacked several cities in Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 people, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Tuesday, in a further sign that the conflict risks spreading into a wider regional war as diplomatic progress stalls.
Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry said that a number of energy facilities and utilities in the kingdom’s southern region had also been attacked by Yemen’s Houthis, causing fires at several sites and temporarily halting some operations.
A spokesperson for the Saudi coalition said they would respond firmly to the attacks that targeted civilian and economic entities.
Smoke rises from a burning truck during what the Houthis say was an attack targeting trucks coming from Saudi territory, (Reuters)
James Reynolds8 September 2026 08:00
Israel’s military gave me just minutes to leave my apartment before it was bombed’
Neveen and Mohammed had recently married and were hoping to get their life back on track after nearly three years of Israeli attacks. But in the space of just minutes, those hopes were once again shattered, Alex Croft reports.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 September 2026 07:20
Yemeni Houthis to announce ‘broad military operation’ into Saudi territory
The military spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi rebels says the group will announce a broad military operation deep into Saudi territory.
James Reynolds8 September 2026 07:17
Smoke rises from a burning truck during what the Houthis say was an attack targeting trucks coming from Saudi territorySmoke rises from a burning truck during what the Houthis say was an attack targeting trucks coming from Saudi territory, (Reuters)
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 September 2026 07:07
Houthi attacks injure 73 and disrupt Saudi energy facilities
Operations at some energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, were halted this morning following attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis that wounded more than 70 people, Saudi authorities said.
Fires erupted at the sites and several people were injured as firefighting and other emergency teams rushed to the scenes to contain the blazes and assess the damage, the Saudi energy ministry said.
“The concerned authorities are dealing with the repercussions of the attacks,” the ministry added.
“The needed measures will be taken to ensure the safety of the facilities and workers and the continuation of work according to the approved operational plans.”
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said in an earlier statement that at least 73 people were injured in Houthi attacks on the southern cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 September 2026 07:06
Congressman says Iran war ‘absolute quagmire’
US Congressman Jason Crow said that the US has been drawn into a predictable Middle East quagmire.
“It was as predictable on day one as it is today,” Crow said in a video posted on X.
“This is the most predictable thing that we could’ve imagined: you get involved in another war in the Middle East, that it would be a quagmire, that our adversaries will try to draw us out.”
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 September 2026 07:00
Senator says Iran war costing Americans $1m every two minutes
Democratic Senator Mark Warner has claimed that the US war on Iran has cost Americans $100bn and was adding another $1m every two minutes.
“It has now been documented that the Iran war of choice that Donald Trump started has cost Americans a hundred billion dollars,” Warner said in a video posted on X.
He said the US was “nowhere” in terms of achieving the goals Trump had laid out for the war as he pointed to record-high fuel prices.
“This is what happens when you start a war of choice with no plan, no strategy, no allies, and no way to get out,” Warner said.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 September 2026 06:40
Iran hints at preemptive action as it touts ballistic missile
Iranian state media said a ballistic missile with improved capabilities demonstrates Tehran’s shifting stance toward taking preemptive action against threats.
A senior Iranian official earlier said the new missile capability had been “tested” against a US warship over the weekend. But it was not clear whether what was tested was the missile the new report described, the solid-fueled Qassem Basir.
On Saturday, the US said it struck Iranian oil tankers in response to ballistic missiles launched at US warships.
Iran’s messaging in recent days has become more assertive, and yesterday’s report said the Qassem Basir marks “a turning point in Iran’s defense strategy.”
It described the missile as having greater range and accuracy and a half-ton warhead.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 September 2026 06:21