Saudi coalition intercepts Houthi missiles, drones targeting cities
Photo: REUTERS
Saudi-led coalition intercepted a barrage of projectiles from Yemen targeting several cities across Saudi Arabia.
According to Saudi Civil Defense, shrapnel from two intercepted ballistic missiles - suspected to have been fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels - fell in Jeddah, Taif, Rabigh, and Wadi Al-Mughammas in Mecca province.
The barrage began Saturday evening, during which coalition forces also intercepted a drone and a ballistic missile over the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
By midday Sunday, coalition air defenses intercepted a cruise missile targeting Khamis Mushait while warning sirens blared across Taif and Jazan. In total, coalition forces intercepted 10 ballistic missiles directed at the southern region.
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi stated that the strikes represented “a grave violation of the sanctity of the Holy Sites and a provocation to the sentiments of Muslims worldwide,” referring to the interceptions over Mecca.
The Houthis, a Zaydi Shia group, denied targeting Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia. However, the kingdom has faced ongoing waves of Houthi missile and drone strikes in recent weeks targeting civilian and military infrastructure.
On Saturday, Riyadh announced that international flights from King Khalid International Airport would resume from Terminal 2 on Sunday, while reserving Terminal 1 for domestic flights.
This decision followed the earlier suspension of flights from the Riyadh airport due to waves of Houthi attacks, including 10 October strike that killed 13 people and wounded hundreds.
Early Sunday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree warned civilians to avoid the airport, saying, “King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh is not safe because it is a military target, and we renew our warning to airlines, employees, and travelers.”
Saree also announced seven operations targeting Saudi oil facilities and military bases.
Yemen has remained in a state of war since September 2014, when Houthi forces captured the capital city of Sanaa and forced the government to flee south. Following a brief ceasefire, fighting escalated after government forces attacked Sanaa International Airport to prevent a Houthi delegation from arriving from Tehran.
Houthis then launched a surprise offensive in September, capturing Yemen’s western coast, including the city of Mocha. In response, forces aligned with the internationally recognized government launched “Operation Dawn of Yemen” on 5 October to retake lost territories.
On Sunday, Yemen’s armed forces said the military conducted 736 strikes on Houthi positions over the past 24 hours, resulting in 307 people being “neutralized” and the destruction of 68 military vehicles.
Amid the intensifying military conflict, the Rasd Organization for Rights and Freedoms warned of a severe humanitarian crisis in Taiz, which remains under a Houthi siege.
The group added, “About 1,110 kidney failure patients face the risks of a shortage of dialysis supplies, given the need for about 120 dialysis sessions daily along with 192 patients in intensive care units and 154 children in incubators, due to the Houthi siege imposed on the city of Taiz since 4 October.”
Source: Al Jazeera (adapted)
