Earlier this month, Israel365 News reported that US President Joe Biden ordered American troops to withdraw from Yemen. This decision, along with another vowing that they would soon be removed from a list of foreign terrorist organizations emboldened the Iranian backed Houthi rebels.

The weeks following that decision have seen near daily Houthi drone attacks on Saudi Arabia as well as an increase in fighting in Yemen reports the JPost. This development comes at the same time Washington said that although it backs Saudi Arabia’s right to defend itself, it would no longer support an offensive battle in Yemen.

According to reports from Saudi Arabia and the region, the Houthis seem to have waged an aggressive drone offensive ever since Washington indicated that they would delist the militia.

On February 7, reports indicated that the Saudis intercepted four Houthi drones. On February 9, additional drones were intercepted by Riyadh. On February 10, the Houthis claimed they targeted the Abha  International Airport in Saudi Arabia, near the Yemen border. On February 11, reports came in of an additional interception of a Houthi attack.

On February 12, on the heels of Washington finally removing them from the list, additional reports of attacks on both Abha as well as King Khalid Air Base in Saudi Arabia were reported.

“The attack by an explosive-laden drone was the fourth such incident involving the Iran-backed Houthis in southern Saudi Arabia in as many days,” a local media outlet reported.