Yemen talks: Bahraini soldiers killed in Houthi drone attack near Saudi border

Two Bahraini soldiers were killed in an attack near the Saudi-Yemeni border, raising questions about their deaths' circumstances.

According to the Bahrain Defense Forces, Houthi militants launched a drone attack on positions held by the Bahraini Duty Force near the southern border of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

What were Bahraini soldiers doing in Yemen? 

Bahrain, situated adjacent to Saudi Arabia, has been a member of the military coalition led by Riyadh since 2015, supporting the Yemeni government against Houthi rebels backed by Iran.

Who is behind this targeting? 

Bahrain has attributed the incident to the Houthi group. 

However, the Houthis have not officially commented on the matter. Their spokesperson simply told Reuters that "coalition forces killed twelve Houthi soldiers last month on the border between the two countries" and emphasized the importance of transitioning to a serious peace phase, condemning border violations as unfortunate.

The timing of this incident is crucial, coming after five days of talks in Saudi Arabia between Houthi representatives and the Yemeni government mediated by Oman. Both parties described the negotiations as positive. 

Will this incident impact the negotiations, especially after Colonel Turki al-Maliki, the spokesperson for the coalition forces, expressed the coalition's refusal to tolerate repeated provocations and its determination to respond appropriately?

According to some analysts, the attack is unlikely to significantly impact the negotiations between the Houthi delegation and the Saudi side. 

Additionally, the Houthi group may have perpetrated the attack to send pressure and extortion messages to Saudi Arabia and coalition countries.