300 fighters killed in 700 operations, Yemeni army claims
Missile debris landed near Mecca and Medina as Aden International Airport took its fourth hit of the month.
By Lina Lewis ·
Yemeni army forces launched more than 700 targeting operations in a 24 hour period ending Saturday, killing 300 Houthi fighters according to military officials. Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, a Yemeni army spokesman, stated that these actions disabled multiple military vehicles. He noted that the strikes focused on field command centers, weapons depots, and supply lines in the Taiz region.
The violence coincided with a new wave of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and Aden. On Saturday, the Yemeni government’s Transport Ministry reported that two ballistic missiles struck Aden International Airport. This was the fourth incident involving the airport in October. The ministry warned that the strikes threaten civil aviation safety and have humanitarian and economic consequences for residents who rely on the facility for travel.
Yemeni authorities said the coastguard headquarters and another building were also hit during the assault. The Houthi group claimed responsibility for striking the al-Nasr camp and a naval military base in Aden. On Friday, a Houthi missile malfunctioned and crashed into a family home in Sanaa, killing three people. The military described this as one of several recent malfunctions involving Iran-backed group weaponry.
Saudi Arabia’s civil defence agency confirmed on Saturday that two ballistic missiles were launched toward Mecca and Medina. The agency warned of falling shrapnel after intercepting the projectiles. Images released by the Saudi Press Agency showed a large, blackened missile-shaped object that had landed within Saudi territory. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, described the attacks as a blatant disregard for the lives and security of civilians.
Houthi officials disputed the official narrative regarding their targets. They called the claim that they aimed at Mecca and Medina a huge lie. Instead, the group stated that their intended targets were three Saudi airports, oil infrastructure, and an airbase. Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that Saudi coalition airstrikes killed several civilians in Sanaa and Hodeidah on Saturday, a claim Riyadh has not yet formally commented on.
Since a fragile ceasefire agreed upon in 2022 collapsed in July, the Houthis have used long-range strikes to pressure Saudi energy infrastructure and airports. Intense fighting continues along Yemen’s front lines as Houthi forces battle government troops for control of key areas.
