Cross-border salvos damage residential property and vehicles in Abha, Khamis Mushait, and Taif as regional tensions flare
RIYADH, Sept. 15, 2026 : Thirteen civilians were wounded after Yemen’s Houthi movement targeted three Saudi Arabian cities with a combined barrage of ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones.
The strikes, which unfolded late Monday into early Tuesday, struck civilian quarters across Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif, damaging seven homes and two vehicles, according to the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen. Emergency personnel treated the injured on-site and in regional medical centers, with officials classifying the wounds as minor to moderate.
Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki characterized the offensive as an escalating assault specifically aimed at non-combatant areas and vital infrastructure.
“The continued, deliberate, and repeated targeting demonstrates the militia’s persistent defiance of international humanitarian law,” Al-Maliki said in a statement released through official channels, confirming that the alliance is preparing defensive and deterrent actions.
The coalition emphasized that any retaliatory measures will adhere strictly to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which guarantees sovereign states the inherent right to self-defense. Military operations will focus on neutralizing launch sites, assembly workshops, and storage facilities to prevent further cross-border salvos.
The aerial bombardment forced civil defense authorities across southern Saudi Arabia to activate local sirens and emergency protocols overnight. Taif, situated further inland near Mecca, represents an expanded operational range alongside the regular targets of Khamis Mushait and Abha near the southern frontier.
Air defenses intercepted multiple projectiles, though falling shrapnel and direct impacts in residential neighborhoods contributed heavily to the casualties and property destruction. Municipal crews in the Asir and Makkah provinces have cordoned off impacted zones to assess structural stability and clear remaining debris.
