Saudi Arabia said it intercepted ballistic missiles launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement on Monday, in the most serious escalation between the two sides in years.
Saudi air defences intercepted missiles fired towards the Kingdom’s southern region, Major General Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, said. The Houthis claimed they had targeted Abha International Airport with a combination of ballistic missiles and drones in retaliation for what they described as a Saudi attack on Sanaa International Airport earlier in the day.
Unverified videos circulating on social media also purported to show air defence activity and warning sirens in Jeddah. Saudi authorities have not confirmed any attack on the city, and the claims could not be independently verified.
The exchange followed a strike on the runway of Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport, which Yemen’s internationally recognised government said was intended to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing. The government accused the Houthis of attempting to facilitate an unauthorised Iranian flight after a Houthi delegation attended the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree accused Saudi Arabia of ending the de-escalation phase, warning that the strike on Sanaa airport would “not go unanswered or unpunished”. He later announced the attack on Abha airport, describing it as retaliation for what he called “criminal Saudi aggression”.
Saudi Arabia reported no casualties or damage, saying only that its air defence systems had successfully intercepted the incoming missile threat.
Yemen’s Defence Ministry defended the strike on Sanaa airport, saying it was necessary to protect the country’s sovereignty and prevent an unauthorised Iranian aircraft from entering Yemeni airspace. Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, said he had ordered that the confrontation should not be expanded in an effort to prevent a wider regional conflict.
Iran condemned the strike on Sanaa airport, calling it a clear violation of international law.
The latest escalation has raised concerns that the ceasefire framework, which has largely prevented major cross-border attacks since April 2022 despite formally expiring, could collapse, potentially drawing Yemen back into a broader conflict.
