Yemen Conflict: Coalition Strikes Houthi Missile Sites

Travellers in Saudi Arabia returned to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday after a temporary closure caused by a Houthi attack that killed 13 people. The disruption, which postponed the kingdom's flagship investment conference until 2027, marked the deadliest assault on the nation in more than a decade. Flights have since resumed, although Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree warned passengers on social media to avoid the facility, labeling it a military target.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki announced on Monday that Saudi-led forces destroyed four ballistic missile launchers and five tunnels used by the Houthis to store weapons. In a post on X, al-Maliki stated that the operation focused on cutting off supply lines between areas controlled by the militant group. He added that coalition forces attacked a missile depot and targeted fortifications, gatherings of members, and military equipment along front lines inside Yemen.

The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, claimed a new attack on the Riyadh airport on Monday. Saree said the group struck the target with a ballistic missile with precision. Al-Maliki countered that Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi militia toward the capital. Saree further claimed that drones hit oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia and that ballistic missiles targeted enemy forces and weapons depots in Yemen's Salah al-Din area of Aden governorate and the al-Wahat area of Lahij governorate.

The recent exchange follows a collapse in the 2022 truce that had halted most fighting. Last month, Houthi forces launched a rapid offensive, seizing much of Yemen's Red Sea coast from government troops. They also began attacking Saudi energy facilities and airports. In response, Yemen's government launched Operation Yemen Dawn this month to recapture territory held by the Houthis. The conflict reignited in the summer when the Houthis announced a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, which has supported the internationally recognised government since 2015.

As airport operations normalized, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss air defence systems. Mitsotakis' office reported that he responded favourably to the kingdom's request to keep the Patriot system in Saudi Arabia. This US-made battery was deployed by Greece in 2021 to protect energy infrastructure in Yanbu on the Red Sea coast.

The Saudi-led coalition reported on Sunday that air defences intercepted at least 10 ballistic missiles. The kingdom's civil defence agency announced that two people were injured in the south by falling debris. The agency also recorded damage to several buildings and vehicles. Official press agency images showed a building with a destroyed upper facade exposing metal rods, as well as shattered windows with glass shards scattered across the pavement and road.