Saudi Arabia is preparing for a coordinated attack by Iraqi Shiite militias and the Houthis, according to an Israeli media report (ynet). The preparations come amid heightened regional tensions and follow a separate report that Iran, the Houthis, and allied militias are planning a combined assault on the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia is bracing for coordinated attacks by Iraqi Shiite militias and the Houthis, according to a report by ynet this morning (Friday). The report, citing unspecified sources, states that the two Iranian-backed forces are coordinating a joint operation against the kingdom — the latest in a series of escalating warnings that have emerged since Thursday night.
On Thursday at 23:37 Jerusalem, a single unverified report claimed that Iran, the Houthis, and allied militias were planning a combined attack on Saudi Arabia "very soon." Within hours, multiple Saudi officials began confirming the threat to major news outlets. A senior official told Al-Arabiya that the IRGC and Iraqi militias were coordinating with the Houthis. A separate official told CNN that energy facilities, ports, and airports were potential targets. Saudi briefings detected movement of missiles and drones, and a senior official warned of imminent strikes. By Friday morning, the picture had sharpened: the ynet report specifies that the Iraqi militias and Houthis are now in direct coordination for the attack.
The warnings come against a backdrop of heightened regional confrontation. As The Zioneer reported on July 30, the Houthis launched an attack against Saudi Arabia from Iraqi territory earlier that week, coordinated with local groups under IRGC oversight. On July 31, The Zioneer reported that Saudi Arabia was preparing a large-scale naval and ground offensive in central Yemen to break the Houthi-imposed oil blockade. And on July 25, reports emerged of a US-led regional coalition, including Israel and Gulf states, preparing a joint military operation against Iran and the Houthis. The Houthis themselves announced a large-scale ballistic missile operation against Saudi targets on Thursday afternoon.
The specific timing and scope of the threatened Iraqi-Houthi coordinated attack remain unclear. The ynet report has not been independently corroborated, and no official Saudi confirmation of this specific report has been issued.
11 developments
- DevelopingSaudi Arabia prepares 'violent wave' of strikes against Houthis, warns of Iranian attack plans
- ConfirmedSaudi Arabia reportedly preparing large-scale military operation against Houthis in Yemen
- DevelopingSaudi Arabia takes Iran, Houthi threats 'very seriously,' regional sources say
- DevelopingHananel Aviv: Iraqi Shiite Militias Join Houthis in Striking Saudi Oil Targets
Source and signal
- Open-source intake