Escalating Yemen Conflict: Strikes, Missiles and Drone Claims
The conflict in Yemen intensified on Sunday after Saudi Arabia struck Sanaa, prompting the Houthi movement to claim a series of missile and drone attacks across Saudi Arabia and southern Yemen.
Houthi-operated Al-Masirah TV labeled the Saudi strikes a 'Saudi aggression.' Residents in several parts of the capital said they heard powerful explosions. Officials and witnesses had not yet provided a full account of the damage or the number of casualties.
The fresh violence comes amid mounting clashes between the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi forces, who control Sanaa and significant portions of Yemen.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced in two posts on X on Monday morning that his group had launched a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. He asserted that the missile hit with pinpoint accuracy. Saree further stated that Houthi forces had also sent several drones to attack crude oil pumping stations beside the East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia, claiming a precise strike on each target. Saudi authorities did not promptly comment on the claims.
In a separate statement, Saree said Houthi forces had conducted two military operations in southern Yemen, one in the Salah al-Din area of Aden and another in al-Wahat in neighboring Lahij province. These were directed at Saudi-supported troop concentrations and arms depots. He alleged that multiple ballistic missiles were used, causing dozens of deaths, and that military vehicles and weapons stores were destroyed or set on fire.
For its part, the Saudi-led coalition said it had carried out a special military operation to neutralize Houthi threats in Yemen. The coalition framed the action as a response to ongoing attacks on Saudi territory.
Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki posted on X that several military installations in Houthi-controlled areas had been destroyed or disabled. These included five tunnels used for storing ballistic missiles, four missile launchers, and one missile depot. He added that Houthi supply routes, fortified positions on the frontlines, military equipment, and fighters had also been targeted.
The coalition said it would continue taking deterrent military measures against the Houthis to protect civilians and critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. It also claimed to have intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh mid-air. Explosions were heard in the Saudi capital early Monday.