Saudi Coalition Foils Houthi Missile Attacks on Southern Saudi Arabia

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by the Houthi rebels, thwarting attacks on the southern province of Taif and the Yanbu area on the Red Sea. The Houthis have been targeting southern areas of Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade against it in July.

The Houthis have also kept up pressure on government forces seeking to consolidate their power through a steep winding mountain pass known as Hejat al-Abd, which is a lifeline for forces fighting on behalf of Yemen's government. The road is critical for goods entering Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, and its southern and western rural areas.

The Houthis' attacks have flared along several old front lines in recent weeks, including around Taiz, as they swept south along Yemen's Red Sea coast. The fighting has resulted in over 700 deaths and thousands wounded, with nearly 130,000 Yemenis displaced within the country.