Fighting in Yemen intensifies: What’s the latest on the battlefield?

Key points

• Yemeni government forces intercepted a drone and missile aimed at Saudi cities as fighting intensifies along the Red Sea coast.
• Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities have killed at least 16 people and wounded over 300, forcing Riyadh airport to close.
• The UN warns of severe shortages in Taiz, while hospitals report unprecedented numbers of weapon-wounded patients.

Fighting between Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces and the Iran-aligned Houthi group has intensified along the western Red Sea coast, with the conflict expanding to attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities and airports. On Thursday, government forces said they intercepted a drone headed toward Medina and a missile fired toward Riyadh.

The escalation follows Houthi strikes on Saudi infrastructure. On Wednesday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group conducted a "high-quality military operation targeting Aramco in Dhahran", along with strikes on Riyadh airport and a refinery in the capital. He said operations would continue in the coming days.

Impact on Saudi Arabia

A Saudi Ministry of Energy official confirmed that an Aramco building in Dhahran was hit, causing a "limited fire" but no casualties. Dhahran hosts Aramco's headquarters. Recent Houthi strikes have mainly targeted infrastructure on Riyadh's outskirts but appear to be edging closer to the city centre.

Houthi attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid international airport over the weekend killed 14 people and wounded more than 300. Attacks were also reported on Abha international airport in southern Saudi Arabia, where two people were killed, and on Aramco energy facilities. Riyadh airport will remain shut at least until Saturday as airlines cancelled flights.

its goal is to meet fire with fire – air strike for air strike, capital for capital, airport for airport, and energy facility for energy facility

— Yousef Mawry, Al Jazeera correspondent

Fighting in Taiz and Red Sea

Yemeni government forces are conducting a counteroffensive called "Dawn of Yemen" to retake coastal territory seized by the Houthis near the Bab al-Mandeb strait. On Wednesday, forces said they carried out 2,309 "targeting operations" using combat aircraft, drones, artillery and rocket launchers, destroying 460 Houthi military vehicles.

Government forces say they have retaken areas in Sabr al-Mawadim and al-Sarari in Taiz governorate and repelled a Houthi attack west of Taiz city. The Houthi siege of Taiz has caused civilian casualties and severe shortages of fuel and supplies. The UN World Food Programme reported that wheat flour stocks are nearly exhausted, and the Red Cross said front-line hospitals in Marib, Taiz and the Red Sea coast are seeing unprecedented numbers of weapon-wounded patients, with some facilities admitting over 700 casualties in a single week.