Saudi-led coalition launches large-scale operation, destroys 136 Houthi targets

The Saudi-led coalition declared on Saturday that it had launched a significant operation against the Iranian-backed Houthi group in Yemen, destroying over 136 military targets. The conflict between the Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized Yemeni government, which Saudi Arabia backs, reignited in July and has since escalated to neighboring regions.

Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi coalition, announced on X that the operation targeted "the personnel and capabilities of the Houthi terrorist militia." He added, "We destroyed 136 military targets in areas controlled by the Houthi terrorist militia." The Almasirah TV channel reported that Saudi missiles were aimed at locations in Yemen's northwestern governorate of Saada.

Apart from reclaiming territory along the Red Sea coast in Yemen, the Houthis have targeted transport hubs, oil facilities, and civilian sites in Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter. On Friday, Saudi Arabia reported that Houthi attacks on Riyadh's international airport had resulted in the deaths of three people the day before, following claims by the Houthis of hitting the facility.

Reports from Houthi media indicate that two individuals lost their lives in Saudi airstrikes on the airport in Yemen's Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa. Both Saudi Arabia and Yemen's government forces have struggled to counter the Houthi advance, despite a counter-offensive aimed at regaining control over key territories, including the Bab al-Mandab strait, which is vital for global shipping.