Missile Attacks on Saudi Arabia and Yemeni Airports Intensify

Houthi fighters have stepped up their attacks on Saudi Arabia and Aden, the base of Yemen's internationally recognized government.

Yemen's Transport Ministry reported that two ballistic missiles struck Aden International Airport on Saturday, the fourth such incident this month. Officials stated the attacks endanger civil aviation safety and create serious economic and humanitarian problems for citizens who rely on the facility. Yemeni authorities also confirmed the coastguard headquarters and another building were hit in the same assault.

Saudi Arabia's civil defense agency said two missiles were fired toward Mecca and Medina on Saturday. The agency warned of falling debris after the projectiles were intercepted. Images from the Saudi Press Agency showed a large, blackened, missile-shaped object that landed within Saudi territory. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, called the Houthi attacks heinous and stated they displayed a blatant disregard for civilian lives and security.

The Houthi group disputed official claims about their targets. They rejected the statement that they aimed at Mecca and Medina, calling it a huge lie. They said their intended targets were three Saudi airports, oil infrastructure, and an airbase. In a separate incident on Friday, Yemen's army said a Houthi missile malfunctioned and crashed into a family home in Sanaa, killing three people. The military noted this was one of several recent missile malfunctions from the Iran-backed group.

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported on Saturday that Saudi coalition airstrikes killed several civilians in Sanaa and Hodeidah. The claim could not be independently verified, and Riyadh has not issued a comment regarding the alleged raids. Since a fragile 2022 ceasefire collapsed in July, the Houthis have persistently used long-range strikes against Saudi energy infrastructure and airports across the kingdom.

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

The spokesman added that the operations focused on field command centers, Houthi gatherings, weapons depots, and supply lines in Taiz, where intense clashes have persisted for days. The sustained Houthi pressure on Saudi infrastructure has become a defining feature of the current phase of the conflict.