The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government announced the interception and destruction of two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi movement toward Khamis Mushait on Sunday, according to CNN Arabic, amid an escalating military confrontation between the regional adversaries.
Military Forces Intercept Drones and Missile in Multiple Regions
The latest airborne assault follows a dense wave of attacks over the weekend. Saudi military spokesman Colonel General Turki al-Maliki stated via X that defense batteries intercepted and destroyed four drones across the Riyadh, Eastern, and Southern regions, according to CNN Arabic. On Friday, the coalition tracked and neutralized a ballistic missile aimed at the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, alongside two cruise missiles over Red Sea waters, according to CNN Arabic.
Saudi civil defense units issued early emergency warnings in Yanbu hours prior to the interception, signaling heightened threat levels across critical energy and transport infrastructure. The coalition subsequently located and destroyed two ballistic missile launchers in the Sa’ada governorate of Yemen, releasing aerial footage of the strikes against militant launch sites and weapons-smuggling operations in the Red Sea near Al-Hodeidah.
Ground Offensives and Southern Infrastructure Under Fire
The air and missile exchanges run parallel to ground campaigns inside Yemen.
A day prior, insurgents launched a missile attack targeting the presidential palace in Aden, which houses coalition military headquarters. It marked the first direct strike on the temporary seat of government since the 2022 truce collapsed in July.
UN Condemns Houthi Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure and Aviation
The United Nations Security Council issued a statement on Thursday condemning the Houthi escalation in the strongest possible terms, specifically highlighting strikes targeting civilian aviation and energy infrastructure that caused civilian casualties.
Operation Dawn of Yemen and Battlefield Casualties
The Yemeni Armed Forces maintained their combat momentum under the “Dawn of Yemen” operation, executing 1417 precise and direct targeting operations over the preceding 24 hours using warplanes, drones, field artillery, and multiple rocket launchers. Colonel Majid Abdullah al-Nuaili, spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, stated that the strikes disrupted Houthi movements, prevented them from pushing reserves to the frontlines, and denied them any tactical objectives in the field. He added that the operations resulted in neutralizing about 800 elements, including killed and wounded, and the destruction or disablement of over 190 armored vehicles, combat squads, transport and supply vehicles, alongside the destruction of fortifications and firing positions.
