Houthis fire on Holy city of Medina, Saudi coalition says | Today’s news
(Bloomberg) — Yemen’s Houthis launched an attack this week on one of Islam’s holiest cities, Medina, Saudi Arabia, according to the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s government in the country’s civil conflict.
Tuesday’s drone attack targeted the Taibah substation, which supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque. The transformer had to be taken out of service, but the damage did not affect the power grid, coalition spokesman Turki Al-Malki said Thursday X.
The attack marked “a continuation of this extremist militia’s attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques,” he added, referring to an earlier reported Houthi strike on Mecca, which hosts millions of Muslim pilgrims to the Grand Mosque every year.
The Saudi government has not commented on the attack, which has prompted a wave of condemnation, including from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Qatar.
The coalition also said it intercepted two ballistic missiles in Khamis Mushait and Jazan near the Red Sea coast on Thursday. Missile debris in Khamis Mushait, which was also targeted by drones, caused damage to buildings and vehicles, the state-run Saudi Press Agency said.
The Houthi attacks have added more uncertainty to the global oil industry, which is already struggling to recover from the vital Strait of Hormuz becoming a battleground in the US-Iran war. They also highlight the Iranian-backed group’s escalation against Saudi Arabia in recent months. These attacks injured dozens of people and damaged energy infrastructure. The group says it has stepped up attacks because its cities and ports are under “siege” by the Saudi government.
Earlier: Trump rejects Iran Hormuz deal as Houthis target Riyadh
The military actions ended a 2022 ceasefire with Saudi Arabia, which intervened in Yemen’s civil war, which erupted after the Houthis, a clan from the country’s north, took over the capital Sanaa in 2014.
The Houthis have recently made advances against Saudi-backed forces in Yemen itself. They have captured almost all of the country’s Red Sea coast, including islands in the middle of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which have become crucial for Saudi oil exports after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year.
The Saudi government has sought military support from allies, including the US, which has promised no support beyond intelligence. In August, Saudi Arabia signed a trilateral defense agreement with Turkey and Pakistan.
Medina is revered by Muslims as the place where the Prophet Muhammad founded the first Islamic community after fleeing Mecca.
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