The conflict involving Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia has entered a dangerous new phase, with a major wave of missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi cities and energy infrastructure. The escalation is now putting the recently formed Saudi-Pakistani-Turkish defence arrangement, dubbed an “Islamic NATO” by some observers, under an early test.
On September 8, Houthi forces launched coordinated attacks on southern Saudi Arabia, striking areas including Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. Saudi authorities said 73 people were wounded, while fires broke out at several energy facilities and some operations were temporarily halted.
Houthi Attacks Target Saudi Energy Infrastructure
The attacks reportedly involved ballistic missiles and drones aimed at military and energy-related targets. Facilities linked to Saudi Aramco in Abha, Najran and Jazan were among those targeted, along with an air base in Khamis Mushait.
The Jazan facility is particularly important because the region houses a refinery capable of processing around 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The attacks have therefore raised concerns well beyond Saudi Arabia, particularly about the stability of global energy supplies.
Saudi officials have described the attacks as a serious escalation and vowed to take measures to protect the kingdom’s infrastructure and personnel.
Why The Houthis Are Escalating
The latest attacks come after months of rising tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. The group has accused Riyadh of supporting military operations against Houthi positions in Yemen.
The Houthis have also declared a maritime blockade targeting Saudi shipping and have threatened routes through the Red Sea. Their expanding operations have raised fears that the conflict could once again develop into a wider Saudi-Houthi war after the relative calm created by the 2022 ceasefire.
The Houthis’ growing activity is also taking place against the backdrop of the wider confrontation involving Iran, the United States and other regional powers.
‘Islamic NATO’ Faces Its First Major Test
The escalation comes at a particularly sensitive moment for Saudi Arabia. Riyadh recently strengthened its defence relationship with Pakistan and Turkey through a pact that provides for collective defence.
Under the agreement, an armed attack against one member is treated as an attack against all. This has led some observers to describe the arrangement as an “Islamic NATO.”
However, Pakistan said on September 10 that no military response has been discussed under the pact in connection with the latest Houthi attacks. Islamabad reiterated its commitment to the agreement while stressing that immediate military measures were not being considered.
That distinction could prove important as Saudi Arabia weighs how aggressively to respond without triggering a much wider regional conflict.
Pakistan Warns Iran
Pakistan has also conveyed a warning from Saudi Arabia to Iran, urging Tehran to restrain its Houthi allies.
Iran has denied directly controlling the Houthis, although the group is widely viewed as part of Tehran’s broader regional network of allied armed groups. Western and regional officials have repeatedly pointed to Iranian support for the Houthis, including the supply of advanced weapons.
Islamabad has so far emphasised diplomacy rather than military intervention, despite its defence commitments to Saudi Arabia.
Red Sea Shipping At Risk
The crisis is not limited to attacks on Saudi territory. The Houthis have also increased their military activity along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and recently seized the strategic port city of Mocha, bringing them closer to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The strait is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Any sustained disruption could affect oil shipments and global trade.
The risk is particularly serious because the Strait of Hormuz is already facing disruption amid the wider Iran-related conflict. Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on Red Sea routes to move oil as an alternative to the Persian Gulf route.
Oil Markets Watching Closely
The renewed attacks have already affected energy markets. Saudi Arabia is the world’s leading oil exporter, and disruptions to its production or export infrastructure can quickly influence global prices.
Saudi oil production fell sharply in August amid Houthi threats and wider regional disruptions, while crude prices have moved above $100 a barrel amid growing concerns about supply routes.
A prolonged Houthi campaign against Saudi energy facilities could therefore have consequences far beyond the Middle East, potentially increasing fuel and transportation costs globally.
A Dangerous Test For The Region
The latest escalation presents Saudi Arabia and its new defence partners with a difficult challenge. Riyadh must demonstrate that it can protect its territory and critical infrastructure while avoiding a conflict that could draw in Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and other regional powers.
For the moment, Pakistan is signalling restraint rather than military intervention. But if Houthi attacks continue to intensify, pressure on the newly established defence pact could increase.
With the Houthis expanding their reach toward the Red Sea and continuing to target Saudi interests, the coming weeks could determine whether the latest confrontation remains limited—or develops into another major regional war.
