RIYADH: Saudi Arabia issued temporary air-raid alerts for Makkah, Jeddah and Taif on Tuesday as tensions intensified following a series of attacks launched from Yemen by the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
The alert covering Makkah was the first of its kind in the holy city since the wider Middle East conflict erupted. Saudi Civil Defence later lifted the warnings.
The alerts followed a wave of ballistic missile and drone attacks from Yemen a day earlier that left 13 people injured in southern Saudi Arabia.
Houthi political bureau member Hazem al-Assad warned that the group’s attacks would continue and intensify as long as, in his words, Saudi Arabia continued its “aggression” against Yemen.
Saudi Civil Defence said air-raid warnings had also been issued across six regions in the early hours of Tuesday before being cancelled.
Ship reportedly hit in Strait of Hormuz
Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said it had received a report of a vessel being struck by an unidentified projectile in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
The agency said there were no reports of damage or environmental impact and that authorities were investigating the incident.
The development comes as the conflict involving Iran has disrupted traffic through the vital waterway, one of the world’s most important routes for oil and gas shipments.
Security Council to discuss Bab al-Mandab
The UN Security Council was scheduled to convene on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Yemen after the Houthis reportedly took control of parts of the country’s Red Sea coastline and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
France, which holds the Security Council presidency this month, requested the meeting for 3pm New York time, according to diplomatic sources.
The Bab al-Mandab is a crucial maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serving as a major trade route between Europe and Asia. Its importance has increased as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have affected regional shipping.
Trump signals openness to Iran talks
The latest escalation comes as the broader regional conflict remains deadlocked, although US President Donald Trump said Monday that Washington was open to talks with Tehran.
Trump said Iran was seeking an agreement and that he would decide whether the United States would engage in negotiations.
Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei, however, said Tehran would not enter negotiations until its demands were met.
A planned meeting between Gulf countries and Iran concerning the future of the Strait of Hormuz was also postponed. Tehran accused Riyadh of using developments in Yemen as a reason to delay the discussions.
Iran has maintained longstanding ties with the Houthis and provided the group with weapons and technological assistance. Tehran nevertheless denies directing Houthi military decisions, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei insisting that the Yemeni group acts independently.
Yemen conflict forces thousands from homes
Meanwhile, Yemeni government forces said they had regained positions from Houthi fighters in the southwestern province of Taiz and carried out airstrikes that killed at least 10 militants, according to the official Saba news agency.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also met US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper in Jeddah on Monday to discuss developments in the region.
The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, forcing the government to move to Aden. Saudi Arabia subsequently led a coalition intervention in 2015 in support of the Yemeni government, turning the conflict into a prolonged war and a major humanitarian crisis.
The UN migration agency said the latest fighting had displaced 93,864 people, underscoring the growing humanitarian cost of the renewed violence.
