Yemen Conflict: Saudi Coalition Targets Houthi Missile Sites

Saudi-led coalition forces struck Houthi missile infrastructure in Yemen on Monday, targeting sites designed to neutralize ongoing threats to the kingdom. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki announced that the operation destroyed four ballistic missile launchers and five tunnels used for missile storage.

Al-Maliki stated that the attacks also hit a missile depot and focused on severing Houthi supply lines between areas under their control. The coalition reported that its forces targeted fortifications, troop gatherings, and military equipment along the front lines inside Yemen. These strikes follow a recent escalation in hostilities between the Saudi-backed government and the Houthi armed group, also known as Ansar Allah.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for new attacks on Saudi and Yemeni targets on Monday. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on social media that the group struck Riyadh’s King Khalid international airport with a ballistic missile. Saree added that the attack hit its target with precision. He also claimed that drones hit oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia.

In a separate statement, Saree said Houthi forces launched ballistic missiles at positions in the Salah al-Din area of Aden governorate and the al-Wahat area of Lahij governorate. Al-Maliki responded by saying that Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh. The Saudi-led coalition reported that its air defenses intercepted at least ten ballistic missiles on Sunday.

The renewed fighting has disrupted travel and business in the region. A Houthi attack on King Khalid airport earlier this month killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, marking the deadliest strike on the kingdom in over a decade. The airport closed temporarily after the blast, forcing Saudi Arabia to postpone its flagship investment conference until 2027. Flights resumed on Sunday, though the Houthis warned travelers to avoid the facility by labeling it a military target.

The conflict reignited in the summer when the Houthis announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia. A truce established in 2022 collapsed last month, prompting the Houthis to launch a rapid offensive that seized much of Yemen’s Red Sea coast. Yemen’s government forces launched Operation Yemen Dawn this month to recapture territory held by the Houthis. Saudi Arabia has supported the internationally recognized government since 2015, when it led a coalition to restore the authority ousted from Sanaa in 2014.

Diplomatic efforts to bolster defenses continued this week as Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Mitsotakis agreed to keep a battery of the US-made Patriot air defense system in Saudi Arabia. Greece deployed the system in 2021 to protect energy infrastructure in Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. His office stated that the decision reflected the current challenging circumstances.

The Saudi civil defense agency reported that two people were injured in the south by falling debris on Sunday. The agency also recorded damage to several buildings and vehicles. Images released by the kingdom’s official press agency showed a building with a destroyed upper facade exposing metal rods. Another photo captured shattered windows with glass shards scattered across the pavement and road.