Saudi Arabia pledged to react "firmly" following Houthi drone and missile strikes that wounded 13 civilians, AFP reported. The terrorists, who reignited the war in July by blockading Saudi ships, recently captured the critical Bab al-Mandab Strait, prompting brief air-raid alerts across six Saudi regions including Mecca. These incursions have successfully pushed global oil prices over $100 and killed eight Yemeni government soldiers during clashes on Monday.
Video: The drone interception in Mecca
The operatives claimed a massive attack on Khamis Mushait using "dozens of ballistic missiles and drones" against a local air base. One resident described "intense blasts" that kept fires burning for a "long time." "Honestly, we couldn't sleep at all," the local told AFP, as the coalition confirmed the damage and launched 50 retaliatory strikes. The coalition formally vowed to act "firmly to protect the sovereignty of the kingdom" and implement "all necessary operational measures to deter this ... hostile and extremist approach."
Despite Riyadh's failure to halt the terrorists' offensive, US President Donald Trump reportedly rejected Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's request for intervention. Meanwhile, a mandatory Pentagon report highlighted an American ammunition deficit caused by the $33.4 billion Operation Epic Fury. "The munitions expenditure on OEF has resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls and revealed industrial base bottlenecks for munitions resupply," the AFP summary noted.
