Saudi Arabia Expects Imminent Coordinated Attacks From Iran Allies

Saudi Arabia anticipates imminent coordinated attacks from Iraqi militias north of the Gulf state and from Yemen's Houthis from the south, according to a senior Saudi official.

These operations are expected to occur under the supervision of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Intelligence reports from Saudi Arabia and the United States indicate these preparations. The warning follows deadly Saudi and US strikes on Popular Mobilisation Forces positions in Iraq last month. The Houthis stated on Wednesday they fired ballistic missiles at the NCC Wafaa, a Saudi oil tanker, off the coast of Yanbu.

This marked the northernmost attack by the group since it began a blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 22. Analysts suggest a potential shift north towards Egypt and the Suez Canal. An attack by Yemen's Houthis on southern Saudi Arabia wounded 11 civilians on Thursday, a military official stated. The kingdom has warned that coordinated attacks by the Houthis and Iran-backed Iraqi militias are imminent.

The attacks could target civilian and economic infrastructure, the Saudi official added. The Health Minister of Yemen, Qassem Bahaibah, stated that 14 people were injured in a Houthi strike on Marib, accusing the group of targeting residential areas and displacement camps.