11 civilians injured in Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia's Najran

Saudi Arabia's military coalition reported that 11 civilians were injured in Houthi attacks targeting the southern border region of Najran on Thursday. The coalition spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, stated that the wounded include seven Saudi nationals, among them a woman and a four-year-old child who sustained second-degree burns. Additionally, one Yemeni, two Egyptian, and one Pakistani national were injured. Al-Maliki described the Houthi actions as a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law" due to the indiscriminate targeting of civilian facilities and infrastructure. He affirmed that the Saudi-led coalition would continue implementing deterrent measures to safeguard civilians and respond to cross-border threats. This attack follows a significant escalation in hostilities, occurring just hours after the Houthis launched a large-scale missile and drone assault against Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces in Ma'rib and Hadhramaut. This offensive was described as one of the deadliest since the 2022 truce, with government sources reporting over 45 soldiers killed and dozens wounded. The Houthis claimed responsibility for inflicting hundreds of casualties and destroying military assets. The recent cross-border strike also coincides with Houthi claims of targeting Saudi-linked commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as part of their declared maritime blockade against Saudi shipping, which they state is retaliation for Saudi restrictions on Yemen. The escalation precedes an upcoming visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Saudi Arabia for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where regional security is expected to be a primary focus. In a separate development, a senior Saudi official indicated that intelligence suggests Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups, under the supervision of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), are preparing coordinated attacks on the Kingdom, potentially targeting energy facilities, ports, airports, and other critical infrastructure.

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flagrant violation of international humanitarian law