A Saudi official told CNN that Iranian-backed Iraqi militias and the Houthis are preparing to launch attacks on Saudi ports and airports 'in the very near future,' according to a report from Israel's N12.
A Saudi official told CNN that Iranian-backed Iraqi militias and Yemen's Houthis are preparing to launch attacks on Saudi ports and airports 'in the very near future,' according to a report by Israel's N12 channel. The warning comes just minutes after a similar statement from a Saudi official to Reuters, as The Zioneer reported earlier, which identified energy facilities, ports, and airports as potential targets. The dual warnings to multiple outlets within a short timeframe underscore the kingdom's heightened alert amid a sustained campaign of drone and missile attacks by Houthi forces and Iraqi Shia militias.
The warnings are the latest in a series of alerts from Saudi officials overnight Thursday (Aug 6, 23:37 Jerusalem). Initial reports from Al-Arabiya cited a royal family source saying Iran was coordinating Houthi and Iraqi militia attacks. A subsequent warning to Reuters from a senior official specified potential targets including energy facilities, ports, and airports. The CNN report now focuses specifically on ports and airports as the planned targets. The corroboration has evolved from a single source to multiple newsrooms reporting similar warnings, lending weight to the threat assessment.
The escalation comes amid a sustained campaign of Houthi and Iraqi militia strikes on Saudi infrastructure. As The Zioneer reported on July 30, sources confirmed that a Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia from Iraq was coordinated with local groups under IRGC oversight. Earlier, on July 27, The Zioneer reported Iraqi Shia militias joining Houthi strikes on Saudi oil facilities, with fires reported at the Abqaiq processing plant. The US, Israel, and Gulf states have reportedly been preparing a joint military operation against Iran and the Houthis, as The Zioneer reported on July 25.
The specific timing of the planned attacks remains unclear. Reports of Iraqi security forces deploying in Baghdad to prevent the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) from taking escalatory actions against Saudi Arabia remain unconfirmed. The threat level is assessed as high but no attack has been executed as of this writing.
8 developments
- DevelopingAsaf Rozentzweig (N12) reports: Saudi briefings detect missile and drone movement, warn of potential launches
- DevelopingSaudi Arabia prepares 'violent wave' of strikes against Houthis, warns of Iranian attack plans
- StrongHouthis attacked Saudi Arabia from Iraq this week, Reuters says
- DevelopingHananel Aviv: Iraqi Shiite Militias Join Houthis in Striking Saudi Oil Targets
Source and signal
- Open-source intake