Houthis hit several Saudi sites after coalition strikes in Yemen

On Monday, the Houthi rebel group retaliated against the Saudi-led coalition after it carried out airstrikes in Yemen. Major General Turki Al-Malki, a coalition spokesperson, reported that the coalition destroyed 20 ballistic missiles and a missile launch platform in Sanaa, as well as conducting naval strikes on targets across Yemen.

The offensive aimed to disrupt a planned attack on Red Sea waterways, coming at a time when Saudi-backed Yemeni forces had advanced near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, forcing the Houthi rebels to evacuate Dhubab and its airport in Taiz governorate. General Al-Malki confirmed the capture of Dhubab and its airport, attributing it to the coalition's aerial assault.

The Houthi spokesperson, Yahya Saree, claimed that the coalition's airstrikes in several regions, including Al-Jawf, Taiz, Hajjah, Sa'dah, and Ma'rib, resulted in civilian casualties, including women and children. In response, the Houthi group launched a barrage of retaliation strikes using ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones, that targeted key sites in Saudi Arabia, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Arab Oil Company's refinery in Rabigh, Abha Airport, the Akifah Camp in Asir, the Khamis Mushait Base, and other sensitive facilities in Najran and Jizan.

The Houthis warned airlines operating in Saudi airspace to suspend their flights, arguing that the country's airspace has effectively become an "operational zone" for the paramilitary organization. Saree emphasized that the Houthis possess the necessary capabilities and resources to counter any "aggressive escalation," having long prepared for such a situation.