Yemen01 October, 20263 min read
Yemeni Armed Forces Deny Targeting Medina After Saudi Interception Claim
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Coalition says Houthis attacked Taiba power distribution station in Medina, one transformer out of service. Yemeni Armed Forces deny targeting Saudi territory, including Medina, in latest claims.
Medina Denials Clash
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree denied carrying out any military operation targeting Saudi territory, calling Riyadh’s claims about an attack on Medina a “blatant and grave falsehood.” Saree said, “The Yemeni Armed Forces confirm that they did not carry out any targeting operations towards Saudi territory today,” and he denounced “the Saudi enemy’s blatant and grave falsehood” regarding the alleged targeting of Medina. Houthis also rejected a Saudi-led coalition statement that it had intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile in the Medina region, with the group’s military spokesman saying, “The Yemeni armed forces confirm that they did not carry out any targeting operation toward Saudi territory today.”
The conflicting statements left the circumstances around the reported interception unclear, with no further details provided about the missile’s origin or intended target. Houthis denied carrying out an attack on Saudi Arabia on Thursday shortly after Riyadh said it had intercepted a missile targeting the region around the holy city of Medina.
Saada, Riyadh, and Airports
The Houthis announced that a Saudi Typhoon fighter aircraft was struck in the skies over Saada governorate with a ground-to-air missile, describing the hit as direct and the aircraft as being in danger of crashing. Yahya Sari' confirmed that the group again targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile, and he said the strike was 'accurate and direct'. In contrast, the coalition spokesperson said they had intercepted and destroyed a drone in the eastern region, while the Saudi Civil Defense spokesman announced on Wednesday the injury of a person of an unspecified Arab nationality due to shrapnel from a ballistic missile in Riyadh.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh had endured four attacks, including Saturday's assault that killed 13 people, and authorities closed the airport until October 17 while airlines canceled flights to Saudi Arabia. A resident account from Sanaa said, “Cars stopped because of petrol shortages, and we have nothing we can rely on, so we have to walk.”
Escalation and Economic Pressure
The Houthis warned that targeting Meiyon Island with air and missile strikes threatens shipping lanes, holding Saudi Arabia responsible for any consequences that may arise and what they call a threat to the safety of navigation.
The spokesman for the Yemeni forces affiliated with the internationally recognized government said 2,309 operations had been conducted against the Houthis since the start of the escalation as part of what is called 'Operation Dawn of Yemen,' and field estimates concluded to 'neutralize' about 1,250 members of Ansar Allah and to 'destroy and disable' more than 460 vehicles and military equipment.
The Houthis warned that targeting Meiyon Island threatens shipping lanes, while the Houthis said their total number of Saudi air strikes and missile attacks since the start of the escalation had reached 2,323.
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense said debris from two intercepted Houthi missiles fell on residential areas in Riyadh, injuring four people and damaging 15 homes.
More than 3,120 flights scheduled to depart from airports across Saudi Arabia since Oct. 8 have been canceled or listed as not operating, representing about 41% of scheduled departures, and it said that includes more than 300 flights scheduled to depart Wednesday.