Houthi Missiles Reach Mecca and Medina as Aden Airport Hit for Fourth Time

Saudi Arabia confirmed on Saturday that two Houthi ballistic missiles reached the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

The Saudi civil defence agency stated on social media that the projectiles were intercepted but that shrapnel fell in both locations. Images from the Saudi Press Agency showed a large, blackened missile fragment inside Saudi territory. The Houthi group disputed the targeting, claiming in a statement that they aimed at three airports, oil facilities, and an airbase rather than the religious centers.

In Yemen, the Transport Ministry condemned the fourth strike on Aden International Airport this month. The ministry said two ballistic missiles hit the facility, threatening civil aviation safety and economic stability for citizens relying on the route. Yemeni authorities also reported that the coastguard headquarters and another building were damaged during the assault. Houthi fighters claimed responsibility for hitting the al-Nasr camp and a naval military base in the city.

Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, a Yemeni army spokesman, announced that government forces conducted more than 700 targeting operations in the previous 24 hours. He said these actions neutralized 300 Houthi fighters and disabled military vehicles. The operations focused on command centers, weapons depots, and supply lines in Taiz, where clashes have continued for days. Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify these casualty figures.

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that Saudi airstrikes killed several civilians in Sanaa and Hodeidah on Saturday. Riyadh has not yet issued a formal comment on the raids. In a separate incident on Friday, Yemen’s military said a Houthi missile malfunctioned and crashed into a family home in Sanaa, killing three people. The army noted that such malfunctions have occurred multiple times in recent weeks.

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, described the attacks as a disregard for civilian security. He said the strikes embodied a blatant lack of concern for the safety of civilians in the region. The conflict has intensified since a fragile ceasefire agreed in 2022 collapsed in July. Since then, Houthi long-range strikes on Saudi energy and airport infrastructure have become a defining feature of the war.