Houthis deny Mecca, Medina attacks; claims to have targeted Saudi airports, oil sites

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group on Saturday denied reports that it had targeted Mecca and Medina, Islam’s two holiest cities, after Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted missiles heading towards the regions and reported debris falling at several locations.

The Houthis maintained that their military operations are directed at Saudi oil facilities and military installations, stating that they publicly disclose such attacks when they occur. The denial came amid renewed cross-border tensions, as the group claimed responsibility for strikes on Saudi oil infrastructure and airports. Meanwhile, Yemen’s internationally recognised government reported missile attacks on coast guard facilities in Aden, a port city in the country’s south.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence reported that debris from two intercepted ballistic missiles fell in the Mecca and Medina regions. Shrapnel was also found near Mecca and in Jeddah, Taif and Rabigh. The Houthis, however, denied launching attacks against the two holy cities.

Houthis claim strikes on Saudi oil facilities, airport

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had targeted multiple sites in Saudi Arabia, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco facility in Yanbu, the Rabigh oil refinery, crude oil pumping stations and the East-West Pipeline.

He further claimed that the group had targeted King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, an airport in Najran and an airbase in Khamis Mushait.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said it had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched towards Yanbu and Taif. However, Saudi authorities did not directly address the group's claims regarding the other locations.

It was unclear whether any of the reported attacks had hit their intended targets or had been intercepted. Saudi authorities reported missile debris at several locations across the kingdom, including areas near Rabigh, where the Houthis claimed to have targeted an oil refinery.

Earlier on Saturday, Saudi Civil Defence issued alerts warning residents of potential threats in Taif, Yanbu, Mecca and Jeddah. Around 10 minutes later, the agency announced that the danger had passed.

Attacks reported in Aden

The conflict also intensified in southern Yemen, where the internationally recognised government accused the Houthis of launching three ballistic missiles at coast guard facilities in Aden.

According to the government’s Interior Ministry, two missiles hit a coast guard headquarters, while the third struck a coast guard building in the Tawahi district.