Saudi Arabia intercepted six Houthi ballistic missiles targeting the Red Sea port of Yanbu and the city of Taif on September 24, 2026. The escalation threatens critical oil export routes following the Houthi capture of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. In response, Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan issued a rare call for troops to prepare to sacrifice their lives to defeat the militia, as Yemen slides back into active civil war after years of relative calm.
Saudi interception of Houthi missiles
- ▪Saudi Arabia intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on September 24, 2026, which were aimed at Taif and the Yanbu area
- ▪The Houthi missile attack on Yanbu on September 24, 2026 targeted a key Red Sea port that serves as the main alternative route for exporting Saudi Arabian crude oil
Houthi Claims of military targets
- ▪Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that the group used ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones to target Riyadh and Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu on September 24, 2026
- ▪Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group attacked Saudi military sites, including operations rooms and weapons depots, in Jazan province on September 24, 2026
Saudi emergency alerts
- ▪Saudi civil defense authorities issued emergency alerts for areas including Jeddah, Mecca, and Tabuk during the Houthi missile escalation on September 23 and September 24, 2026
- ▪Saudi civil defense authorities did not issue an emergency alert for Riyadh on September 24, 2026, despite Houthi claims of targeting the capital
Red Sea shipping threats
- ▪The Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in July 2026, which has worried global markets as the group pursues Iranian-supported pressure on shipping corridors
- ▪The Houthis asserted they are targeting only Saudi Arabia and stated that commercial shipping on the Red Sea faces no other threat
Houthi control of the Bab el-mandeb Strait
- ▪The Houthi capture of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait provides the group with enhanced surveillance over passing commercial vessels on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes
- ▪Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces lost control of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb waterway to Houthi forces approximately two weeks prior to September 24, 2026
Statements by the Saudi Grand Mufti
- ▪The Saudi Grand Mufti's statement declared that asserting the authority of the internationally recognized Yemeni government over the entire country is a pressing obligation
- ▪Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan called on Saudi soldiers on September 24, 2026, to be ready to sacrifice their lives fighting the Houthis
United States role
- ▪The United States government has indicated it is sitting out the Yemen conflict, despite Saudi Arabia seeking military support from its international allies
- ▪The United States government disclosed that it has been in contact with the Houthis during the Yemen conflict
Debatable claims
- ▪The United States should provide military support to Saudi Arabia against Houthi advances
- ▪A renewed Saudi military offensive is justified to restore the internationally recognized Yemeni government
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