An attack by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militants late Thursday wounded 11 civilians in southern Saudi Arabia near the Yemeni border, according to a military official. The injured include seven Saudis, two Egyptians, a Yemeni, and a Pakistani, said General Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition.

Al-Maliki accused the rebels of "indiscriminate shelling against civilian objects." Neither the Houthis nor Iran immediately responded to the coalition's statement. The attack underscores the growing entanglement of Saudi Arabia's long-running conflict with the Houthis in Yemen with the wider Middle East war, particularly as Tehran targets Saudi territory hosting US military facilities.

Less than three weeks ago, the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, signaling escalating tensions. The latest incident highlights the persistent threat to Saudi border regions and the broader regional instability.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan are expected to sign a joint defense agreement in Jeddah on Friday, according to sources cited by Reuters and AFP. The pact had been "under discussion for a long time," but recent developments accelerated efforts to finalize it, a source close to the Saudi military told AFP.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is due to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Jeddah. Erdogan is set to arrive Friday, while Sharif and Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir arrived Thursday.

In 2025, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan—the only Muslim-majority country with nuclear weapons—announced a joint defense deal. The new agreement is expected to bolster military cooperation amid heightened regional tensions, though details remain undisclosed.

Source: www.dw.com