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Drone claim hits Najran
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis claimed they carried out a drone strike targeting a “sensitive target” at Najran Airport in southern Saudi Arabia, with no immediate confirmation from Saudi officials.
“the Houthis' military spokesman Yahya Saree said the attack achieved a “precise strike””
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the operation was conducted in response to what the group described as Saudi drone incursions into Yemeni airspace over Saada and Hajjah.
The National reported that the Houthis said the attack achieved a “precise strike” and was launched after the group announced a “maritime embargo” on Saudi Arabia on July 20.
CGTN said the Houthis claimed the drone attack targeted a “sensitive” location at the airport and achieved a “precise hit,” also noting there was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities.
The Jerusalem Post added that the Houthis said the strike was in response to Saudi drone incursions over the Saada and Hajjah governorates in northwestern Yemen, while Riyadh had not confirmed the incident.
Threats and maritime escalation
In the Houthis’ statement, Yahya Saree warned, “We affirm to the Saudi enemy that any violation of our airspace will not go unanswered and unpunished,” linking the Najran Airport claim to alleged airspace violations over Saada and Hajjah.
Al Jazeera net reported that the Houthis said the operation “will not go unpunished,” after targeting a “sensitive target” inside Najran Airport using a drone.
The National said the Houthis announced a “maritime embargo” on Saudi Arabia on July 20, sparking fears of further chaos for Gulf trade and threatening to shut off a critical route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz.
The Jerusalem Post reported that the Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea since last month, and said threats to target Saudi shipping caused six Saudi tankers to change course and head toward southern Africa.
CGTN said the renewed hostilities have heightened concerns over security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, raising the risk of a broader military confrontation after years of relative calm in Yemen.
Regional stakes and next moves
The Jerusalem Post said the Houthis’ shipping threats came as tracking data showed six Saudi tankers changed course, and it added that the empty tankers can each carry a maximum of two million barrels of crude oil.
“Saudi Arabia announced on July 30 that 14 countries (including Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar”
The National said Saudi Arabia responded with air strikes on what it said were Houthi military facilities and said it would protect commercial shipping, accusing the rebels of serving foreign agendas.
Al Jazeera net reported that Saudi Arabia announced on July 30 that 14 countries, including Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, and Bangladesh, agreed to establish a multinational naval defense alliance to protect freedom of navigation.
Al Jazeera net said the Saudi Ministry of Defense described the alliance as building an institutional defensive framework focusing on three sea lanes: the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
In a separate development, Al-Madin reported that Yemen’s internationally recognized government Coast Guard forces rescued all 14 crew members of an Indian merchant ship, FAIZE NOORE OLIYA, after it was attacked and sunk in the Red Sea about 13 nautical miles south of the city of Hudaydah.
