Saudi Arabia: Houthi Escalation Backed by Iran

- “Coalition”: 19 killed and more than 364 injured in Houthi attacks on airports

- 1,104 missiles and 1,135 drones launched against the Kingdom since the start of operations

- Militias use civilian targets and Yemen’s resources to fuel their war effort

- Destruction of 127 storage facilities in mountainous areas and numerous launch platforms

- Interception and destruction of a “Cruise” missile in Medina

- Houthi missile strike on Maashiq Palace in Aden... ministers of the government are safe

The “Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen” affirmed on Thursday the necessity of an “immediate halt” to Houthi attacks on civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia, while the Kingdom accused Iran of encouraging the Houthis’ recent escalation against it.

The Coalition’s stance came during a press conference held by its spokesperson, Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki, regarding the attack on King Khalid Airport and the distinctive operation carried out by Coalition forces to neutralize the vital capabilities used by the terrorist Houthi militias to support their war effort.

Spokesperson for the Coalition, Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki, stated that the terrorist militia carried out 20 attacks on King Khalid International Airport in the capital Riyadh since October 1, resulting in 17 deaths and more than 330 injuries due to the Houthi assault on the airport itself.

He clarified that the militias attempted to target dozens of airports, oil facilities, and ports in the Kingdom, noting that attacks on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia have resulted in a total of approximately 19 deaths and 364 injuries, according to the latest official casualty figures from the “Houthi aggression.”

He pointed out that 1,104 missiles and 1,135 drones have been recorded as launched at the Kingdom since the start of operations.

He noted that the Houthis acquired advanced technologies with the assistance of regional parties, and that Houthi militias are using civilian assets and Yemen’s resources to fuel their war effort. They have built mountain storage facilities in Sana’a, Saada, and Amran as launch points for attacks, and “we have worked on destroying Houthi capabilities by demolishing these mountain storage sites.”

He revealed that the Coalition had destroyed 127 storage facilities in mountainous areas and numerous launch platforms over the past few days.

Al-Maliki had announced before the conference the interception and destruction of a cruise missile launched by the terrorist militia in the Medina region, and the destruction of a drone heading toward the southern region, following the interception and destruction of a drone in the Eastern Region the previous day.

The Saudi Civil Defense announced on Thursday the activation of the National Early Warning System for emergencies in the cities of Najran and Jizan to warn of danger, before later announcing that the threat had passed.

Meanwhile, Saudi Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy Raed Qarmali accused Iran on Thursday of encouraging the Yemeni Houthis to escalate their recent attacks against the Kingdom, stressing that Tehran continues to “arm, train, and support” Yemeni fighters.

Speaking during a video briefing with journalists published by the Agence France-Presse (AFP), he said, “We believe that the escalation carried out by the Houthis at this final stage of the conflict is being encouraged by Iran,” adding that Iran “continues to arm, train, and support the Houthi militia, in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.”

He affirmed that Riyadh has sought to reach a diplomatic solution with the Houthis in Yemen while maintaining communication with Iran, but he considered that Tehran is unwilling to reach a resolution.

He said, “We continue direct communication with Iran,” adding, “Generally, it does not yet appear that the Iranians are capable of making the necessary concessions to reach a solution,” accusing the Houthis of refusing to sit at the negotiating table and insisting on escalation.

He added, “At the outset of this escalation, we asked them to meet in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, but they refused. That was the last contact we had a few weeks ago.”

On the ground, the “Yemen’s Dawn” operation has inflicted severe material and human losses on the Houthis amid fierce clashes on several fronts, particularly in Taiz, as well as through aerial strikes on rebel positions in Sanaa.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Al-Shamsan said the battle has been ongoing for more than 10 years, with fronts and locations shifting over time. He clarified that the fall of a site or geographic area does not signify the end of the conflict, nor does its recapture guarantee victory.

He added, “The ultimate goal of this battle is to reach the capital, Sanaa,” considering it the point at which the conflict can be said to have achieved its objective.

A correspondent for Al Arabiya and Al Hadath reported that five explosions occurred in Aden, resulting from missile strikes targeting the Maashiq Presidential Palace, and confirmed that Prime Minister Shoaib Al-Zandani and government ministers were unharmed following the attack.