▲ Smoke rises following an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition in the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital of Sanaa on October 9 (local time).
As armed clashes intensify between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the Saudi-led coalition has carried out sweeping airstrikes targeting key oil and military support facilities in the Houthi-held Yemeni capital of Sanaa and other areas.
The Saudi-led international coalition stated in a statement on October 13 (local time) that it struck key fuel and military support facilities to curb the Houthis' war-fighting capabilities.
Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki announced, "The joint forces command confirmed that the Houthi rebels were exploiting civilian facilities and critical infrastructure for military purposes, and launched a precise military operation to neutralize them."
Al-Maliki explained that major targets included the Al-Sabah central base (fueling and charging facilities) and underground reserve fuel storage in the capital Sanaa, as well as fuel transport and offloading storage tanks and docks in Hodeidah, Sanaa, and Dhamar.
He pointed out, "The Houthi rebels directly diverted resources rightfully needed by the Yemeni people to support terrorist acts," adding, "These facilities were used to replenish stockpiles of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) that threaten the security of Saudi Arabia, airports, ports, and commercial vessels in the Red Sea."
Earlier, the Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported that the coalition struck the Al-Sabah central base of the Yemen Petroleum Company (YPC) on the outskirts of Sanaa, but claimed there were no petroleum products stockpiled there.
The latest airstrikes were executed immediately after the coalition issued an emergency evacuation order to civilians near the facilities ahead of the operation.
The strikes are seen as a retaliatory measure for a recent deadly Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia's King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Previously, the Houthis targeted major airports for a week in opposition to Saudi Arabia's intervention in the Yemeni civil war. On October 10, a missile attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 13 people, marking the worst human toll in Saudi Arabia in the past decade.
In response, the Saudi Cabinet, presided over by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de facto ruler, signaled strong retribution.
After warning that it would target key oil facilities that form the core of Saudi Arabia's economy, the Houthi rebels launched missile attacks on the capital Riyadh and the Eastern Province, home to the headquarters of state oil giant Aramco.
That evening, the Saudi Civil Defense issued an alert warning of potential danger in Riyadh and the Eastern Province, but lifted it a few minutes later.
The coalition announced that it had intercepted ballistic missiles fired by the Houthi rebels targeting Dhahran, Dammam, and Haradh, where Aramco's headquarters are located.
However, loud explosions were heard during the process, and debris from intercepted missiles fell into residential areas in Dhahran, the coalition added.
AFP reported that explosions were also heard in Riyadh after the alert was issued.
However, whether any damage occurred in Riyadh has not been confirmed.
The reignited Yemeni civil war is rapidly escalating, compounded by the spillover effects of a recently triggered conflict between the United States and Iran.
Following Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in February, Houthi rebels seized the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance of the Red Sea, an alternative energy shipping route, cutting off Saudi Arabia's oil export paths.
Saudi Arabia is currently conducting massive military operations to push back the Houthi forces that have advanced near the strait.
Amid these developments, U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held separate telephone conversations with Crown Prince Mohammed on this day to discuss the situation.
Meanwhile, Iran, Saudi Arabia's arch-rival in the region and a supporter of the Houthi rebels, stated the previous day that it would step in to mediate between the two sides.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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