Houthi drone attacks on Saudi Arabia

Houthi forces have conducted repeated drone attacks against Saudi territory during the renewed escalation in Yemen. On 17 September 2026, Saudi authorities said debris from a drone intercepted over Taif killed a Yemeni resident, injured a Saudi woman and critically wounded a Pakistani resident. It was the first death announced by Saudi Arabia during this phase of the attacks, which had already wounded more than 80 people. Saudi Arabia also accused the Houthis of directing an earlier drone towards Mecca, although the group denied targeting the city. The Houthis separately claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter, but this has not been independently verified. Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes in Houthi-controlled areas as the broader fighting displaced more than 100,000 Yemenis.