Houthis strike Saudi Arabia and Aden as Yemen conflict intensifies

Houthi forces have initiated a new wave of attacks targeting locations in Saudi Arabia and Aden, the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The strikes represent an escalation in hostilities as the group continues to pressure both its regional rival and the government it opposes on the ground.

The Yemeni government’s Transport Ministry condemned the targeting of Aden International Airport on Saturday. In a Facebook post, the ministry stated that two ballistic missiles were fired at the facility, marking the fourth such incident in the current month. Officials warned that these attacks threaten the safety of civil aviation and carry significant humanitarian and economic consequences for citizens who depend on the airport for travel.

Beyond the airport, Yemeni authorities reported that the coastguard headquarters and another building were struck during the assault. The Houthi group claimed responsibility for hitting the al-Nasr camp and the naval military base in Aden. In a related incident on Friday, Yemen’s army announced that a Houthi missile malfunctioned and crashed into a family home in Sanaa, a city under Houthi control, killing three people. The military noted that this was one of several missile malfunctions observed from the Iran-backed group in recent weeks.

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported on Saturday that Saudi coalition airstrikes resulted in the deaths of several civilians in Sanaa and the port city of Hodeidah. While the claim could not be independently verified, Riyadh has not yet issued a formal comment regarding the alleged raids.

Saudi Arabia’s civil defence agency also issued a statement on X on Saturday, confirming that the Houthis had launched two ballistic missiles toward Mecca and Medina. The agency warned of falling shrapnel following the interception of the projectiles. Images released by the Saudi Press Agency appeared to show a large, blackened missile-shaped object that had landed within Saudi territory.

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, described the Houthi attacks as heinous. In a statement shared on Saturday, he said the strikes embodied a blatant disregard for the lives and security of civilians.

The Houthi group disputed the official narrative regarding their targets. They called the claim that they aimed at Mecca and Medina, the holiest cities in Islam, a huge lie. Instead, they stated that their intended targets were three Saudi airports, oil infrastructure, and an airbase.

Since a fragile ceasefire agreed upon in 2022 collapsed in July, the Houthis have persistently used long-range strikes to target Saudi energy infrastructure and airports across the kingdom. This sustained pressure has become a defining feature of the current phase of the conflict.

Intense fighting continues along Yemen’s front lines as Houthi forces battle the internationally recognized government’s troops for control of key areas. Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, a Yemeni army spokesman, said on Saturday that government forces conducted more than 700 targeting operations over the previous 24 hours. He claimed these operations neutralized 300 Houthi fighters and disabled military vehicles, though Al Jazeera could not independently verify these figures.

The military spokesman added that the operations focused on field command centres, Houthi gatherings, weapons depots, and supply lines in Taiz, a region where intense clashes have persisted for days.