Egypt Backs Saudi Arabia After Houthi Missile and Drone Attacks Wound 73
CAIRO, EGYPT — WEB DESK: Egypt has strongly condemned missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on several cities in Saudi Arabia, pledging full solidarity with Riyadh as the strikes deepen security concerns across the Gulf and wider Middle East.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that attacks targeting Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran represented a dangerous escalation, violated Saudi sovereignty and threatened the security and safety of the Kingdom’s people.
The strikes wounded 73 people, including women and children, according to Saudi authorities. Civilian, economic and energy facilities were among the sites affected.
Egypt Pledges Full Solidarity With Saudi Arabia
Cairo said it stood fully behind Saudi Arabia in confronting threats to its security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Egyptian government also rejected attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure and stressed the importance of continued coordination with Riyadh as regional tensions intensify.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry described Saudi security as an integral component of wider Egyptian and Arab national security, underscoring the strategic relationship between Cairo and Riyadh.
The statement places Egypt firmly alongside Saudi Arabia following one of the most serious recent waves of Houthi attacks on the Kingdom.
Four Saudi Cities Targeted
The latest attacks struck targets in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, all in southern Saudi Arabia.
Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said the Houthis had targeted civilian and economic facilities. Saudi authorities reported 73 people wounded in the strikes.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for a broad offensive involving ballistic missiles and drones.
The group said its operation targeted several locations, including energy infrastructure and military sites. Claims concerning individual targets and damage should be distinguished from independently verified assessments as information continues to emerge.
Saudi Energy Facilities Disrupted
The attacks also affected Saudi energy infrastructure.
Fires broke out at targeted facilities, while operations at some locations were temporarily disrupted as emergency teams responded.
The development is particularly significant because Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest crude exporters, meaning serious disruption to its energy infrastructure can have implications well beyond the Kingdom.
Global oil prices climbed sharply on Tuesday as traders assessed both the Saudi attacks and the wider escalation across the Middle East.
Brent crude approached $99 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate rose above $94, with markets pricing increased risks to regional energy supplies.
The price movement, however, reflects multiple geopolitical pressures and should not be attributed exclusively to the Houthi attacks.
Attacks Come Amid Renewed Yemen Escalation
The strikes mark a significant deterioration in a conflict that had experienced a period of relative calm following a UN-brokered truce in 2022.
Recent fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces has intensified, while the group has also expanded threats against Saudi territory and regional shipping.
The Houthis said the latest attacks came in response to Saudi actions in Yemen, including an alleged strike on a prison in the northern province of Al-Jawf.
The group claimed that seven people, including a child, were killed in that incident. Saudi Arabia had not commented on the allegation at the time of the latest reporting.
Those allegations therefore remain attributed to the Houthis and should not be presented as independently established facts.
GCC Also Condemns Houthi Strikes
Egypt is not alone in condemning the attacks.
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi also denounced the strikes, describing them as a violation of international laws and norms.
The regional reaction highlights concerns that renewed Saudi-Houthi confrontation could broaden an already volatile Middle Eastern security crisis.
The attacks are occurring while tensions between Iran and the United States are also affecting regional shipping and energy markets, adding to fears of interconnected conflicts across the Gulf.
Saudi Security ‘Part of Arab National Security’
Egypt’s statement is politically significant because it frames the attacks not simply as a bilateral Saudi-Yemeni security issue but as a matter affecting the broader Arab region.
By declaring Saudi Arabia’s security part of Arab national security, Cairo signalled that further escalation against the Kingdom could generate wider diplomatic opposition.
Egypt also emphasised continued coordination and cooperation with Saudi Arabia as regional tensions develop.
The immediate focus will now be on whether the Houthis launch further missile or drone attacks, the extent of damage to Saudi energy infrastructure and how Riyadh responds militarily and diplomatically.
With Saudi facilities already disrupted and oil prices approaching $100 a barrel, further escalation could carry consequences for regional security, global energy supplies and international shipping.
