Houthi rebels launched several attacks against government targets in Yemen's Marib province July 4, using a ballistic missile and armed drones. The missile destroyed the governor's house and damaged others nearby, the government confirmed, adding that no one was killed.

The Houthis also claimed to have killed dozens of people in other attacks in Marib that day, using drones armed with bombs. One attack was said to have been against a Patriot missile system that the Saudi-led military coalition — which supports the Yemeni government against the Houthis — had supplied to the government, but no other details were given. There were also reports that Saudi Arabia on July 4 intercepted drones targeting its Jizan airport.

In stepping up their attacks against Saudi Arabia recently, the Iran-backed Houthis are displaying growth in their offensive capabilities. It's been more than four years since the coalition announced it had destroyed 80% of the Houthis’ heavy-weapon warehouses and neutralized 95% of their arms used in airstrikes. But today, Houthi missiles have reached the depths of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and broken into their advanced defense systems, targeting vital locations.

For example, in addition to the July 4 attacks, the Houthis two days before had targeted the Saudis' Abha airport, wounding nine people. Houthi army spokesman Yahya Saree said Houthis attacked that airport 10 times in May and June — and during that time also launched airport attacks on Jizan seven times, Najran three times and once on Khamis Mushayt military base. A June 24 attack on Abha killed one person and wounded 24 others, and on June 12, a Houthi-launched cruise missile injured 26 civilians at that airport, according to the Saudi-led coalition.