Saudi soldier aims machine-gun from behind sandbag barricade in the border with Yemen in Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi Ministry of Defense spokesman said that retaliatory opereations were ‘underway’ against Houthi militias in Yemen who targeted Saudi residential areas earlier this week, adding that the Yemeni city of Saada and its suburbs, where the militias launched their attacks from, are now a ‘targeted area.’

“The security of Saudi Arabia is a red line that has been crossed and the Houthis will pay the price,” Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri said during a press conference on Thursday.

Saudi Arabia’s armed forces said the strikes are aimed at militias and are done to protect civilians of both Yemen and Saudi Arabia as they advised all resiednts of Saada to stay away and avoid all areas where Houthi militia fighters are based, Al Arabiya News Channel reported.

In comments to Al Arabiya’s sister channel Al Hadath; Asiri said the retaliation to the Houthi attacks “will be stern.”

“We will take the necessary steps to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks,” he added.

A series of mortar attacks from Yemen targeted southern Saudi southern cities of Najran and Jazan earlier this week.

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