Sana’a, Oct 13. (dpa/GNA) – Saudi Arabia carried out several strikes on northern Yemen on Tuesday, Yemen’s Houthi rebels said one day after the Iran-backed group, claimed another attack on Riyadh’s international airport.
The Houthi mouthpiece, Al-Masirah TV, reported at least three Saudi strikes on Tuesday morning, targeting the militia’s northern stronghold in the Saada province, as well as overnight strikes on northern and western areas.
Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said they shot down an armed Saudi drone in Saada, while it was carrying out a hostile mission.
On Monday evening, Saree said the group targeted King Khaled International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh, using a ballistic missile.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile targeting Riyadh, as well as two missiles targeting Khamis Mushait in south-western Saudi Arabia.
The latest attack came after air traffic in and out of Riyadh had been suspended until midnight on Sunday (2100 GMT on Saturday).
On the ground in Yemen, fighting continued on Tuesday morning between the Houthis and government forces and their allies in Taiz, the government said, adding that warplanes launched nine strikes targeting Houthi elements in the province.
The Houthi militia has stepped up its attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting airports and oil facilities, among other sites.
In the past days, Saudi Arabia has reported strikes on the international airport in Riyadh, where at least 12 people were killed and more than 300 others injured in one of the worst attacks in years.
The Houthis have been fighting Yemen’s internationally recognized government for more than a decade.
A truce reached in 2022, largely froze the conflict, but failed to pave the way for a lasting peace. Fighting has recently flared up again amid the wider war involving Iran, further deepening Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.
Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s largest oil producers, has blamed the Houthis for attacks on civilian facilities in the kingdom, and launched retaliatory strikes against rebel targets in Yemen.
GNA