Saudi Arabia is reportedly bracing for attacks from the north and south as tensions in the Middle East rise once more. Officials in the oil-rich nation believe assaults could come from Iraqi militias and Yemeni Houthis in the coming days, both overseen by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Potential targets
The potential targets were mostly civilian and economic installations, namely energy facilities, ports and airports, according to a Saudi official. The official told CNN: "I think they want to coordinate attacks from both north and south."
Background
Saudi Arabia has close ties to the US, as the pair teamed up to carry out air strikes in Iraq on Iranian-supported groups on July 29. US President Donald Trump said on Friday morning (August 7) he believed his country's war on Iran will end pretty soon after halting military action to allow peace talks to continue.
Tensions between Saudi Arabia and its neighbour Yemen have risen again in recent weeks after Yemeni Houthis claimed responsibility for a range of attacks on Saudi shipping and military targets. Saudi Arabia hit military targets in Yemen in response. Saudi Arabia led a military coalition against the Houthis in northern Yemen in 2015, with the conflict coming to an end in 2022 amid a humanitarian crisis.
Regional developments
It comes as Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are set to sign a joint defense agreement in Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that a Saudi-led military coalition backing Yemen's official government blamed a separate shelling attack in Saudi territory on the Houthis, saying 11 civilians had been injured in the Najran border region.
