Yemen's Houthi Rebels Claim Missile and Drone Attacks on Four Sites in Saudi Arabia, Including Defense Ministry and Airports

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed on the 22nd (local time) that they targeted Saudi Arabia's defense ministry and airports.

In a statement, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said, "Over the past 48 hours, a total of four major military operations were carried out deep inside Saudi territory using ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones)."

He stated, "The first target was the Ministry of Defense headquarters building in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, which was successfully struck with precision," adding, "We subsequently targeted King Fahd International Airport in the eastern city of Dammam, paralyzing air traffic."

Earlier, the General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia announced that King Fahd International Airport had been hit in an airstrike the previous day, leaving two people dead and eight others injured.

Videos circulating on social media show successive missile strikes and major explosions at King Fahd International Airport in the middle of the night, though it has not been verified whether they are genuine footage of the airstrike.

Saree added, "We also hit state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco's facilities in Yanbu, causing a fire," and "finally, a precision strike was carried out on Abha International Airport."

The Houthi rebels explained that this attack was a direct response to the hostility and military escalation by the Saudi-led coalition over the past 100 days.

The statement criticized, "The criminal Saudi enemies have launched more than 2,900 airstrikes and missile attacks targeting civilian infrastructure," resulting in "more than 562 casualties, predominantly women and children."

In addition, they issued a strong warning against Saudi threats targeting Yemeni tribes.

Saree emphasized, "If Saudi Arabia carries out its threats, the consequences will be catastrophic and unpredictable," and "we will be forced to exercise major military options that we did not originally want, and Saudi Arabia will bear full responsibility for all resulting repercussions."

He also declared, "The Houthi rebels will continue operations targeting Saudi troop concentrations and deep interior locations until Saudi attacks cease and the blockade on Yemen is lifted."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.