Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have ramped up drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia over the past month, employing increasingly sophisticated drones and missiles to hit targets across the kingdom's territory, Defense officials and experts say.
The Houthis launched more than 40 drones and missiles at Saudi Arabia in February alone, a senior U.S. Defense official told NBC News.
"We're certainly aware of a troubling increase in Houthi cross-border attacks from a variety of systems, including cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)," the Defense official said.
The attacks underscore the Houthis' ability to strike at far-flung targets in Saudi Arabia over hundreds of miles, including the center of the kingdom's oil industry.
But unlike a devastating drone and cruise missile attack in September 2019 that knocked out two crucial oil plants, Saudi Arabia has managed to shoot down many of the incoming drones and missiles.
In their latest attack on Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Houthi forces said they launched a medium-range Zulfiqar missile and 10 armed drones at the eastern cities of Ras Tanura and Dammam, home to key oil facilities, and seven short-range Badr missiles and four drones at targets in the south.
As a result of the growing threat from the air, the U.S. military has stepped up assistance to the Saudis, sharing intelligence to help them spot and intercept explosive-laden drones and an array of ballistic and cruise missiles, Defense officials said.
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