Riyadh, September 18, 2026: Fighting between Houthi forces and Yemen’s internationally recognised government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, has killed at least 68 people over the past 24 hours, according to military sources from both sides cited by AFP.
At least 23 government soldiers were killed in Houthi missile and drone attacks in two southwestern provinces, a Yemeni government official said. Houthi military sources, meanwhile, reported that 40 of their fighters were killed in Saudi air strikes and ground fighting.
The latest clashes mark a sharp escalation in Yemen’s civil war, with Saudi Arabia accusing the Houthis of launching attacks towards the holy city of Makkah earlier this week.
Civilian casualties have also been reported on both sides. Saudi authorities said a Yemeni national living in the kingdom was killed after a drone was intercepted over Taif, east of Makkah, with falling debris striking buildings and vehicles.
“The fall of shrapnel from a downed drone in Taif governorate resulted in one death, two injuries, and material damage to several buildings and vehicles,” Saudi authorities said.
The incident was the first reported death inside Saudi Arabia since the latest hostilities erupted. State media footage showed damaged shopfronts and vehicles with shattered windows.
In Yemen, Houthi-run Almasirah television reported that three children were killed in strikes it blamed on “Saudi-backed mercenaries”, referring to forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The Houthis also reported Saudi-led air strikes on telecommunications infrastructure in Taiz province, saying one civilian was killed in the town of Abs.
The escalation has displaced more than 100,000 people, according to the International Organization for Migration.
The conflict is also raising concerns over one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes. The Houthis now claim control of Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline after seizing territory there over the past week, while the group says Saudi aircraft have carried out hundreds of strikes in response.
The Houthis also claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet on Wednesday, releasing footage showing fighters at what appeared to be a smouldering crash site and displaying wreckage bearing Saudi insignia. The claim could not be independently verified.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, in a televised address, called for an end to what he described as the Saudi blockade and occupation of Yemen, as well as Saudi military operations against the group.
The latest escalation is adding to pressure on global energy markets, which are already facing disruption from the wider regional conflict and restrictions affecting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Houthi control of the Bab el-Mandeb, another vital maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, could further complicate shipping and energy flows, including Saudi Arabia’s efforts to use alternative routes to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
The current round of fighting follows the collapse of a fragile truce reached in 2022, which had significantly reduced the intensity of fighting in Yemen before hostilities resumed in July.
