Kuwait and Bahrain have condemned recent Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, expressing solidarity with Riyadh as tensions between the Yemen-based group and Saudi-backed forces continue to escalate.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned attacks involving ballistic missiles and drones against civilian areas in the Saudi cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif. The ministry said the attacks injured civilians and caused damage to residential properties and vehicles.
Kuwait described the attacks as a violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and international law, including international humanitarian law. It also reaffirmed what it called its “absolute solidarity” with Riyadh and support for measures taken by Saudi authorities to protect the country’s security, stability, citizens and residents.
The Kuwaiti government further stressed that Saudi Arabia’s security was closely linked to the security of Kuwait and the wider Gulf Cooperation Council.
Bahrain also condemned what it described as continued Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, adding to a growing chorus of Gulf states expressing support for Riyadh.
The condemnations came as Saudi Arabia reported a new incident in Taif on Thursday.
Saudi civil defence authorities said debris from an intercepted Houthi drone fell in Taif governorate, killing a Yemeni resident and injuring a Saudi citizen and a Pakistani resident. The incident also damaged buildings and vehicles.
The death was the first reported fatality in Saudi Arabia this month linked to Houthi attacks, according to Al Jazeera. The development has added to concerns about the widening confrontation between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen.
Dispute over Mecca attack
The latest escalation follows Saudi Arabia’s accusation that the Houthis launched a drone towards Mecca, Islam’s holiest city.
Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi has rejected the allegation, describing it as a “heinous lie” and accusing Saudi Arabia of using the claim as propaganda to justify its military campaign.
The competing claims have heightened tensions across the region, particularly because of the religious significance of Mecca. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also said that any attack on Islamic holy sites would be condemned, while questioning whether the Saudi allegation alone was sufficient to establish responsibility for the incident.
Fighting intensifies in Yemen
The confrontation is not limited to Saudi territory.
Houthi-linked media reported that Saudi aircraft had struck telecommunications towers in Yemen’s Taiz province and said one civilian was killed and another injured in attacks on the town of Abs.
Houthi-backed media also reported that three children were killed and several people injured in strikes attributed to Saudi-backed forces. Those casualty claims have not been independently verified.
The renewed fighting follows a major Houthi offensive in Yemen, during which the group has made gains along parts of the Red Sea coast. The developments have increased concern about the security of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major international maritime route.
Kuwait has previously warned that continued Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea could threaten maritime navigation, global energy supplies and international trade.
Wider regional implications
The latest confrontation is unfolding against the backdrop of the wider conflict involving Iran, the United States and their regional allies.
The Houthis are backed by Iran, while Saudi Arabia supports Yemen’s internationally recognised government. The renewed fighting therefore risks connecting Yemen’s conflict more directly to the broader regional confrontation.
China has reportedly appealed privately to Iranian officials to help restrain the Houthis following Saudi Arabia’s request for Beijing’s assistance. Publicly, Beijing has called for restraint, dialogue and the restoration of safe navigation.
The crisis could also involve additional regional actors. Saudi Arabia signed a joint defence agreement with Pakistan and Türkiye last month, and Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Thursday that the time had come to implement the agreement in response to the latest Houthi attacks.
For now, Kuwait and Bahrain’s statements underscore the growing regional concern over attacks on Saudi territory, while the continuing exchange of strikes raises questions about whether the Yemen conflict could develop into a broader regional security crisis.
