Houthis claim attacks on Saudi airports, oil refinery in escalating conflict
Yemen's Houthi group announced late Monday that it had launched missile and drone strikes on multiple targets across Saudi Arabia. In a statement broadcast by Al-Masirah TV, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea claimed the group struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco refinery in Rabigh, and Abha International Airport, among other military sites. Sarea stated the attacks were in retaliation for what he described as 60 Saudi air and missile strikes targeting Houthi-held areas in Yemen within the past 24 hours.
Saudi authorities have not yet confirmed the reported strikes, and the extent of any damage remains unverified. However, explosions were heard in Riyadh late Monday and into Tuesday morning. The Houthis also warned international airlines against operating in Saudi airspace, citing the potential for further escalation in the conflict. The group previously imposed a maritime ban on Saudi shipping and has targeted Saudi oil facilities and tankers.
The latest developments follow a sharp escalation in clashes between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces in southwestern Yemen. The conflict in Yemen began in late 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa, leading to a Saudi-led military intervention in 2015. The recent escalation marks the most intense fighting since a UN-brokered truce in 2022 that largely halted major hostilities.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the increased fighting, urging both sides to de-escalate tensions. Farhan Haq, Guterres' deputy spokesperson, emphasized that the secretary-general does not believe further militarization of the conflict will be helpful. The International Organization for Migration reported that over 180,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since August 1, with escalating hostilities causing more civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure.