The Bahrain News Agency reported that two Bahraini soldiers were killed and others injured on Monday in a drone attack by the Houthis on coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen. Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led "Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen," stated in a statement carried by the Saudi News Agency that the coalition leadership condemned the treacherous attack by some elements affiliated with the Houthis, describing it as a hostile act within the context of aggressive actions over the past month, which included targeting a power distribution station and a police center in the border area. According to the Bahrain News Agency, a report from the army indicated that one officer and one soldier were killed.
Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abd alsalam responded to the attack that claimed the lives of the Bahrainis, stating that violations of the ceasefire were “regrettable.” He added that "violations" by the Saudi-led coalition forces of the ceasefire have not ceased and that 12 Yemeni soldiers were killed over one month on the Saudi border. He emphasized the importance of entering a phase of serious peace to stabilize the military situation completely, ensuring that violations stop from all parties and that the requirements for comprehensive and just peace are achieved.
For its part, the Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed, via its X platform, "the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's condemnation and denunciation of the treacherous attack on the Defense Force of the sister Kingdom of Bahrain stationed at the southern border of the Kingdom, which resulted in the martyrdom of several of its brave soldiers and injuries to others."
The coalition's statement noted: "Such hostile and provocative acts do not align with the positive efforts being made to end the crisis and reach a comprehensive political solution, and the leadership of the coalition forces reaffirms its rejection of repeated provocations and reserves the right to respond at the appropriate time and place." The Bahrain Army's statement, reported by the official news agency, mentioned that "this treacherous terrorist act occurred with the Houthis sending attack drones to the positions of the Bahraini task force stationed at the southern border of the sister Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, despite the cessation of military operations between the warring parties in Yemen."
Strong condemnation was expressed by Morocco, stating in a statement that the Kingdom "fully expresses its solidarity and continuous support with the sister Kingdom of Bahrain in facing this cowardly terrorist act, and offers its condolences to the Kingdom of Bahrain and the families of the victims, wishing a swift recovery to the injured."
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassim Al-Budaiwi, also condemned the "treacherous hostile violation by the Houthis," stating it is inconsistent with the previously announced ceasefire agreements and confirms the Houthis' continuation of their terrorist acts and their lack of desire for stability and security in Yemen.
The U.S. Central Command expressed its "deepest condolences to the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Bahrain Defense Forces for the loss of their soldiers who died in the service of the Kingdom." The U.S. embassy in Bahrain sent condolence messages to the families of the deceased, emphasizing the United States' support for its ally.
This attack marks a significant escalation after more than a year of relative calm in Yemen, coinciding with a momentum for peace efforts. It could undermine talks between Saudi and Houthi officials who held another round of negotiations regarding a potential agreement paving the way to end the conflict in Yemen. The Houthis have been fighting against the Saudi-led military coalition since 2015 in a conflict that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and left 80% of Yemen's population reliant on humanitarian aid. The Saudi government welcomed what it described as "positive results" from its first direct talks with senior Houthi officials, who spent five days in Riyadh last week.
