On Wednesday, the Houthis announced a series of attacks on Saudi targets, including the launch of a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, stating that they are striving to gain territory in Yemen amid the ongoing conflict. This group, which controls much of northwestern Yemen, has seized large areas of coastal land from forces loyal to the Yemeni government following the resumption of the country's civil war last month.
Yemeni Government's Counter-Operation
The internationally recognized Yemeni government announced this week the start of a counter-operation, claiming it has managed to drive Houthi forces from strategic areas along the Red Sea coast and the port city of Al-Mokha. However, the Houthis stated that they have maintained control of their territories, and military sources from both sides reported no significant changes in the current situation.
Read more: Saudi coalition forces recaptured key areas around the Bab al-Mandab Strait from the Houthis
Houthi Claims and Saudi Response
Yahya Saree, the military spokesman for the Houthis, announced that the group's armed forces targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile, claiming the attack was precise and caused disruptions to air traffic. The Saudi-led military coalition, which supports the Yemeni government, stated that the missile was intercepted during its launch.
In a separate post, the Houthis also claimed to have attacked a military equipment supply camp near the airport in the city of Aden, the temporary capital of the Yemeni government. The state-affiliated Saba news agency reported that missiles and drones targeted this airport.
This is the second time this week that the Houthis have claimed to attack the main airport of the Saudi capital. According to the flight tracking website Flightradar24, Riyadh Airport has faced frequent and temporary disruptions in airspace, but Saudi officials have not publicly confirmed these disruptions.
Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led an international coalition in the war against the Houthis and is currently trying to halt the recent advances of this group. After a four-year ceasefire, the civil war in Yemen reignited in July, and last month the Houthis seized all of the country's western coastline in one of the deadliest conflicts in recent years.
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