Houthis claim strikes on Saudi airports, Aramco refinery and military sites

Yemen’s Houthi group on Monday evening claimed responsibility for coordinated military operations targeting two international airports, a state oil refinery, and multiple military sites across Saudi Arabia, according to a statement issued by spokesman Yahya Saree.

Coordinated strikes on energy and transport

Speaking in a statement published on X, Saree said the attacks involved a large number of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Saree said the first strike targeted King Khalid International Airport in the capital Riyadh, asserting that it accurately hit its objective and disrupted air traffic at the facility.

He added that the second operation struck a refinery belonging to state oil giant Aramco in Rabigh, located in the Mecca region, claiming the assault ignited a fire at the installation. The third wave targeted Abha International Airport, the Khamis Mushait military base, and Akfa camp in the southern Asir region, alongside what Saree described as other “sensitive sites” in Najran and Jazan in the kingdom’s southwest.

Retaliation for aerial bombardment

Saree stated the operations came in response to 60 Saudi airstrikes and missile attacks conducted over the previous 24 hours against Sanaa and the Yemeni provinces of Al-Jawf, Taiz, Hajjah, Saada, and Marib. He placed the total number of airstrikes and missile attacks since the escalation began at 1,576.

Saree also warned international airlines operating in Saudi airspace to suspend their flights, stating that such routes now fell within the group’s operational range, with the exception of airspace over Mecca and Medina. Saudi authorities had not issued an immediate response to the Houthi claims at the time of reporting.