Riyadh: The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government said on Thursday, October 15, that Yemen’s Houthis had carried out 20 attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh in October, killing 17 people and injuring 333 others.
During a press conference, coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki said the Houthis had also attempted to target dozens of other airports, oil facilities and ports across Saudi Arabia. The coalition reported a total of 19 deaths and 364 injuries in attacks on airports across the Kingdom.
The casualty figures released by the coalition covered incidents on Wednesday, October 7; Thursday, October 8; Saturday, October 10; and Sunday, October 11.
The deadliest incident occurred on Saturday, October 10, when 12 people were killed and 309 injured. On Sunday, October 11, another attack killed one person and injured 11 others.
Dust and debris were seen inside King Khalid International Airport following the attack on Saturday, October 10. The coalition also released footage showing the aftermath of the attacks and fragments of a cruise missile it said had been used in an assault on the airport.
Videos shows airport attack aftermath and missile fragments
Coalition destroys Houthi weapons depots in Yemen
Al-Maliki said the coalition had destroyed 127 weapons storage facilities in mountainous areas of Yemen, along with launch platforms.
He said the Houthis were using tunnel entrances and cavities in mountainous terrain to launch missiles. According to Al-Maliki, a total of 1,104 missiles and 1,135 drones had been launched at Saudi Arabia since the start of the operations.
The coalition spokesperson accused the Iran-backed Houthi militia of acquiring advanced military technologies with assistance from regional parties. He said the group possessed ballistic missiles, offensive and suicide drones, and explosive speedboats, posing a threat to regional and international security.
Al-Maliki called on the international community to prevent terrorist groups from obtaining advanced technologies and weapons. He also reaffirmed the coalition’s support for Yemen’s internationally recognised government and armed forces.
The coalition said its operations were aimed at weakening Houthi military capabilities and countering threats to maritime navigation in the southern Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
In a separate statement, the coalition described attacks targeting the Two Holy Mosques as a threat to Umrah pilgrims and visitors.
Coalition targets Houthi sites in Yemen
The coalition released images of strikes on two sites in Yemen’s Al Hudaydah Governorate that it said were linked to the Houthis and used to support their military operations. The targets included sea berths at Ras Issa and an underground fuel storage depot.
Footage reported by Al Ekhbariya also showed coalition strikes targeting ballistic missile launch platforms and a missile warehouse in Saada Governorate. Other footage showed strikes on tunnels and ballistic missile storage facilities in Sanaa.
Al-Maliki issued a warning to the Houthis, urging them to stop attacks on civilians in Saudi Arabia and to read the coalition’s statement carefully, including its underlying implications.
Houthis fire missiles at presidential palace in Aden, 2 killed
Yemen’s Houthi forces fired ballistic missiles at Al-Maashiq Presidential Palace in Aden, killing two security personnel assigned to Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani, the Yemeni Information Ministry said.
The ministry said all government members were safe following the attack on the palace, which serves as the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Local sources reported four explosions near the complex, while footage showed smoke rising over the area.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree later said the bombing of what he described as the Saudi enemy’s war operations headquarters in Aden was part of the group’s declared policy of targeting Saudi military deployments wherever they were located. He described Saudi military presence as a legitimate target for Houthi forces.
Houthis warn airlines against using Saudi airports
In a statement issued on Thursday, Saree warned aviation companies against using Saudi airspace and airports, describing them as unsafe except for airspace over Makkah and Madinah.
Saree claimed that Saudi Arabia had carried out more than 274,302 airstrikes against Yemen over the past 12 years, and more than 2,350 airstrikes and missile attacks since the latest escalation began.
He said the group considered its operations defensive and threatened to retaliate against Saudi attacks. The statement was issued by the Yemeni Armed Forces, as described by the Houthi spokesperson.
The developments come amid continued hostilities involving the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition, with both sides issuing warnings as tensions escalate across the region.
