Yemen's Houthi group launched a fresh barrage of missile and drone attacks on Saudi military targets on Monday, as Iran denied any involvement in the country's revived civil war. The Houthis, fighting the Saudi-backed internationally recognised government, last week seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group said it fired dozens of drones and missiles at the kingdom, prompting Saudi Civil Defence to issue brief alerts in Khamis Mushait and Abha. A resident of Khamis Mushait told AFP he heard "intense blasts" that left fires burning for a "long time," adding, "Honestly, we couldn't sleep at all." The Bab al-Mandab waterway has become essential for Saudi oil exports, with Iran continuing to block the Strait of Hormuz as part of the Middle East war, but the Houthis have declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh.
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