Saudi Arabia says its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone before it entered Makkah’s restricted airspace. The incident comes as the U.S. State Department advises Americans to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia, citing risks from Iranian drone and missile attacks, armed conflict and terrorism.
Five Hamas members, including Qassam Brigades commander Ahmed al-Batsh, also known as Abu Osama, were killed in an Israeli military operation in Gaza. Israeli forces and Shin Bet said they have intensified counterterrorism operations across the Gaza Strip in recent weeks.
Saudi Arabia has vowed a “decisive” response to Houthi attacks that wounded 13 people, as authorities issued new safety warnings in Makkah. The Saudi Cabinet condemned attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure, while an emergency UN Security Council meeting was requested to address the escalating situation around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Two sailors are missing and 23 others were rescued after the Panama-flagged oil tanker Al Gaya was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Oman’s Maritime Security Centre. Iran blamed naval mines, while the U.S. military said the tanker had been struck by an Iranian missile and later by a drone.
A U.S. Defense Department report to Congress reveals that 18 U.S. service members were killed and 417 wounded during the Iran war, while dozens of aircraft and 30 MQ-9 drones were destroyed or damaged. The report also warns that depleted U.S. munitions stocks could take significant time to replenish.
Houthis Launch New Missile and Drone Attacks on Saudi Arabia RIYADH (Terror Monitor) — Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen launched new missile and drone attacks against military targets in Saudi Arabia on Monday, while Iran rejected accusations that it was directly intervening in Yemen’s renewed civil war. The Houthis said they launched dozens of missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia. Following the attacks, Saudi Civil Defense issued brief security alerts in the southern cities of Khamis Mus
Yemen’s internationally recognized government forces have recaptured positions west of Taiz after clashes with Houthi forces, while fighting has intensified along the Red Sea coast and Saudi Arabia’s southern border.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper in Jeddah amid escalating tensions with Iran-backed Houthi forces, as Riyadh reportedly seeks U.S. intelligence and military support.
The Iran-backed Houthis claim Saudi warplanes carried out airstrikes on Houthi-held areas in Taiz and Saada, while also reporting artillery fire near the northern border. The claims come amid escalating fighting, threats to Saudi oil infrastructure and a rapidly worsening displacement crisis in Yemen.
