Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missiles
Saudi Arabia thwarted a new attack yesterday by the Iran-backed Houthi militia using ballistic missiles against the cities of Taif and Yanbu, coinciding with the issuance of a series of alerts by the Civil Defense covering several areas, including the city of Makkah.
Turki al-Maliki, the spokesperson for the coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen, stated in a series of posts on the “X” platform yesterday that “air defenses thwarted an attempt to target Taif and Yanbu with six ballistic missiles,” emphasizing that “the escalation and violations by the Houthi terrorist militia will be dealt with firmly.”
Meanwhile, the Saudi Civil Defense announced the activation of the National Early Warning Platform for emergencies, issuing a warning of danger in the city of Makkah and the governorates of Taif, Jeddah, and Yanbu, as well as the Tabuk region. However, it announced minutes later that the danger had been averted in the holy city and other regions of the Kingdom.
The Saudi Civil Defense called on residents to continue following instructions, avoid gathering and filming entirely, refrain from spreading rumors and unverified clips, and contact the emergency number “998” when necessary.
In response, the regional spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, in a statement published by Saudi media, called on Iran to stop arming the Houthis, reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia, and rejected the Houthis’ attacks on the Kingdom.
This escalation by the Iran-aligned group came as the Yemeni army announced yesterday that it had repelled Houthi attacks on a main supply route leading to the temporary capital, Aden, which houses the headquarters of the internationally recognized government.
The “Hijjat al-Abd” road, a winding and steep mountain pass, is a lifeline for the Yemeni government forces and is also of great importance for transporting goods to Taiz. It is the only available route for those wishing to travel abroad, as flights are not facilitated in Houthi-controlled areas.
Conversely, the Yemeni army reported engaging the Houthis in several fronts in Taiz.
In related developments, the Associated Press confirmed that Iranian advisors played a key role in the Houthis’ sudden advance and their control of key areas on the western coast, reaching the Bab el-Mandeb area earlier this month.
The Associated Press cited Houthi, Yemeni, and regional officials as stating that Iranian Revolutionary Guard advisors were present on the ground and helped manage the Houthi offensive, marking the largest direct Iranian intervention alongside the Houthis since the outbreak of the Yemeni war in 2014.
The Associated Press revealed that an Iranian flight arrived in Yemen in July carrying additional Revolutionary Guard advisors who joined Iranian elements and Hezbollah members already present.
