Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Saudi Arabia has warned of a growing regional security threat after a Houthi attack wounded 11 civilians in the kingdom’s southern Najran province, with officials claiming intelligence points to possible coordinated attacks by Yemen’s Houthis and Iran-backed Iraqi militias.
According to the Saudi-led military coalition, the attack injured seven Saudi nationals, one Yemeni, two Egyptians and one Pakistani citizen. Among the wounded was a four-year-old child who suffered second-degree burns.
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Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki condemned the strike, accusing the Iran-aligned Houthis of indiscriminately targeting civilian areas in violation of international humanitarian law. He said the coalition would continue taking all necessary measures to protect civilians and critical infrastructure.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East as the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran enters its fifth month. Saudi officials say intelligence shared by regional and Western partners indicates that the Houthis and Iran-backed Iraqi militias, allegedly operating under the supervision of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), could be preparing coordinated attacks on Saudi civilian and economic targets.
Potential targets reportedly include energy facilities, airports, ports and other critical infrastructure.
A senior Saudi official, speaking anonymously, said Riyadh, Washington and other regional governments had detected signs of an emerging threat that could destabilise ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions with Iran. The official suggested that any coordinated attacks may be intended to derail mediation initiatives, which he said were moving “in the right direction.”
Neither the Houthis nor Iran immediately commented on the Saudi allegations.
Saudi Arabia has increasingly found itself at the centre of broader regional tensions. While Riyadh hosts US military facilities and remains a key American ally, it has also sought to maintain channels for dialogue with Tehran. However, repeated Houthi attacks and disruptions to Red Sea shipping routes have complicated those efforts.
The warning comes as Saudi Arabia moves to strengthen regional defence ties. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in the kingdom on Thursday, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected on Friday. Regional sources told Reuters that Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are set to sign a defence cooperation agreement, although details have not yet been disclosed.
Saudi officials also stressed that military coordination with the United States remains at a high level, including operational cooperation with US Central Command.
The Houthis claimed responsibility earlier this week for an attack on Najran airport. The latest warning follows Saudi strikes conducted with US support against Iran-backed groups in Iraq on July 29 after drone attacks targeted Saudi oil facilities. Iraqi militias later vowed retaliation, further raising concerns of a wider regional escalation.
– Ends
With inputs from Reuters
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
