'Yemen Dawn': Coalition strikes 'Houthi ballistic missile storage sites'

Aden-Riyadh (Agencies): Military and political developments in Yemen continued yesterday as Operation “Yemen’s Dawn” entered its second day. While forces of the legitimate government announced the recapture of strategic positions in Bab al-Mandab and Dhobab, the coalition continued striking missile launch platforms and their storage sites.

The official spokesperson for the coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen, Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki, announced that the coalition’s naval forces carried out a military operation in Al-Hudaydah governorate, targeting legitimate military objectives belonging to the Houthis. He clarified that the operation resulted in the destruction of weapons depots and warehouses for explosive-laden boats and naval mines, noting the thwarting of a plot for imminent attacks targeting waterways in the southern Red Sea. Al-Maliki affirmed via his X account that the operation is part of the coalition’s efforts to protect maritime navigation security in the Bab al-Mandab strait.

On another front, Al-Maliki stated that coalition forces destroyed a ballistic missile launch platform in the capital, Sanaa, and a ballistic missile storage site within a mountainous location in Saada containing 20 ballistic missiles.

For his part, Rashad Al-Alimi, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, raised the stakes by affirming that operations would not cease until Sanaa is reached. The media center for the Taiz axis reported that approximately 100 Houthi militia members were killed and 150 others wounded during offensive operations carried out by the armed forces in the Taiz axis, supported by popular resistance, across several battlefronts within Operation “Yemen’s Dawn.”

Yemeni General Staff Chief Brigadier General Saghir bin Aziz affirmed the continuation of the military operation until every inch of Yemen is liberated. Meanwhile, Commander of the Homeland Shield Forces, Major General Abdulrahman Al-Laheji, stated that the objective of the battle is to restore the state and protect Yemenis, ending the aggression against their lives by Houthi militias. He confirmed that he had directed all fighters to treat Houthi prisoners of war with due respect, stating that anyone who lays down their arms comes under the protection of Yemeni forces, and safeguarding them is a religious and moral duty.

In a separate development, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jassem Al-Bedaiwi strongly condemned the “flagrant attacks” by the “terrorist Houthi militias” targeting facilities at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport and Najran International Airport. In a statement, Al-Bedaiwi affirmed that targeting airports and civilian infrastructure constitutes a serious escalation and a blatant violation of international laws and norms, posing a direct threat to the security and safety of civilians and air navigation. He noted that the Houthis’ continued targeting of civilian and vital facilities in the Kingdom reflects a “rejected hostile approach and a clear disregard for international law and international humanitarian law,” according to the statement. Al-Bedaiwi stressed the necessity for the international community to take a firm stance against these attacks and hold the perpetrators accountable.

The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation announced yesterday that King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport were subjected to two attacks targeting their facilities on Monday evening, resulting in three minor injuries and material damage. The authority confirmed that emergency teams and relevant authorities began responding to the attacks immediately upon their occurrence, in accordance with approved procedures and plans. It added that it is working, in continuous coordination with relevant security authorities, to assess the damages and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of passengers and staff.