Coverage of events across the Middle East region.
Saudi-led coalition says it destroyed 136 Houthi military targets in Yemen airstrikes aimed at crippling the Iran-backed group's ballistic missile capabilities, following deadly attacks on Saudi airports.
Three Saudi nationals, including Saudia Airlines pilot Captain Hamoud bin Ali Al-Kalthami, were killed in attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and an aircraft belonging to the national carrier. Several people of different nationalities were injured. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack on the airport, while the Saudi-led coalition said it had destroyed three Houthi rocket-launching platforms.
A Saudia Airbus aircraft was reportedly severely damaged in a missile strike at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, amid escalating attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed Houthis. Lufthansa and Air India suspended flights to the Saudi capital, while diplomats and schools took precautionary security measures following explosions in the city.
Israel marked the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks that killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 others taken hostage. Three years later, Gaza remains devastated by war, while the conflict has reshaped the Middle East and fueled wider confrontations involving Israel, Iran, Hezbollah and other regional actors.
Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks targeting Saudi airports, with three people killed and 36 injured in Abha and Riyadh. The escalation came as Saudi-backed Yemeni forces launched a major counteroffensive against Houthi positions near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday to discuss bilateral relations, expanding cooperation and the latest regional developments. The meeting came amid heightened tensions across the region, including the escalating conflict involving Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
Yemen’s civil war has sharply escalated as Iran-backed Houthis claim attacks on Saudi Arabia, while Saudi-backed government forces launch a major counteroffensive to retake territory from the group. The Saudi-led coalition says around 100 fighter jets are supporting the operation, as fighting intensifies around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye have activated the collective-defence mechanism of the Makkah Defence Alliance amid escalating fighting with Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. The three countries agreed to provide and rapidly deploy agreed military forces and defence capabilities to Saudi Arabia, while Pakistan and Türkiye are currently playing supporting roles rather than taking part in direct combat operations.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have agreed to rapidly deploy agreed military forces and defence capabilities to Saudi Arabia if required under the Makkah Defence Pact. The decision follows an emergency meeting in Riyadh amid escalating regional tensions and Houthi attacks, while retired Pakistani Lt. Gen. Nauman Mahmood was appointed the alliance’s first secretary-general.
Yemen’s internationally recognized government has launched the “Fajr al-Yemen” operation against Iran-backed Houthis, with government forces claiming control of Bab al-Mandab and Dhubab airfield and advancing toward Houthi-held Sanaa. Officials say thousands of Houthis have been detained, while 1,122 attacks have targeted Houthi positions. The reported casualties and circulating battlefield videos have not been independently verified.
Yemen’s Saudi-backed government has announced a major offensive to retake Houthi-controlled territories, as government forces claim to have killed at least 700 Houthi fighters in hundreds of operations. Saudi Arabia is reportedly preparing to provide air support, while Houthi advances near Taiz and the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait raise fears of a wider escalation.
Yemen’s armed forces aligned with the internationally recognized government say they have launched operations targeting Houthi positions in Sanaa and Saada. Houthi-affiliated media reported a strike in Sanaa and blamed Saudi Arabia, which has not confirmed the claim. The developments come amid renewed regional tensions linked to the Iran–US conflict.
