Saudi Arabia retaliates with 54 airstrikes after Houthi missile attack injures 13 civilians

Missile and drone strikes hit southern Saudi Arabia

Yemen's Houthi movement launched a coordinated barrage of ballistic missiles and drones into southern Saudi Arabia on Monday, 14 September 2026. The strikes struck sites in the cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif, causing moderate and light injuries to 13 civilians and damaging seven houses and two vehicles. Houthi forces claimed responsibility for a large operation targeting King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait with dozens of drones and ballistic missiles. A local resident reported seeing multiple missiles hit the military installation, hearing loud explosions, and observing a fire that burned for a prolonged period. Along Yemen's western front, a separate Houthi attack killed eight Yemeni government soldiers.

They know that the Yemeni response will continue and intensify as long as they persist in their aggression against our people.

Coalition launches 54 retaliatory airstrikes

The Saudi-led military coalition promised to confront the cross-border strikes with responsibility and firmness, executing a counter-offensive across multiple provinces. Coalition aircraft carried out 54 airstrikes over a 24-hour span using F-15 and Eurofighter Typhoon jets operating from Saudi airbases. The strikes targeted five administrative divisions in Yemen, including Taiz, Lahj, Al-Jawf, Marib, and the coastal hub of Hodeida. In southern Saudi Arabia, civil defence agencies triggered aerial warning sirens across six regions in the early hours of Tuesday, 15 September, before canceling the alerts. The resumption of intense fighting along Yemen's southern Red Sea coast has displaced nearly 94,000 people, according to data compiled by the International Organization for Migration.

The criminal Saudi aviation carried out 54 airstrikes over the past 24 hours using F-15 and Typhoon aircraft having taken off from Saudi bases.

Pressure on maritime routes and oil prices

The Houthi advance expanded the group's territorial hold near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a crucial navigational passage connecting Europe and Asia via the Red Sea. In addition to targeting military bases, the militia launched attacks directed at Saudi oil infrastructure. These attacks contributed to global crude oil prices climbing past the $100 per barrel threshold. Iranian government representatives denied any formal involvement in the Houthi offensive, while the Pentagon separately acknowledged ongoing munitions shortages related to military operations across the region.

Strategic talks in Jeddah and Cairo

The military exchange prompted swift diplomatic realignments across the region. In Jeddah on Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met United States Central Command chief Brad Cooper to review regional security and operational developments. Saudi Arabia also formally requested the postponement of an Oman-hosted multilateral summit that was scheduled to convene Gulf states and Iranian representatives to discuss a temporary maritime corridor through the Strait of Hormuz. On Tuesday, 15 September, the Saudi Crown Prince traveled to Egypt for bilateral meetings with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Washington-based Middle East Institute analyst Mirette Mabrouk noted that Riyadh is pursuing assurances that Egyptian armed forces would intervene if necessary to defend navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb strait.