Saudi forces have been on high alert since the Houthis struck Riyadh International Airport last week, killing 13 people in a single attack. Turki al‑Malki, the coalition’s spokesperson, posted the latest success on X, urging the world to see the magnitude of the threat.
On Friday, the coalition shot down three drones in the southern sector and two cruise missiles over the Red Sea, while a ballistic missile was intercepted over Yanbu, a key oil‑pipeline terminus on the coast. The strikes were executed by the kingdom’s air defence batteries, according to al‑Malki.
The attacks are part of a broader Houthi offensive that began in September, when the group seized territory along the Red Sea coast, threatening a major shipping chokepoint. Dr. Rayed Krimly, deputy minister for public diplomacy, blamed Iran for arming and training the Houthis, a claim echoed by the U.N. Security Council, which condemned the attacks in its strongest terms.
Meanwhile, a missile strike on the presidential palace in Aden killed five and wounded 16, marking the highest casualty toll in a single Houthi assault this month. Yemeni Prime Minister Shaya al‑Zindani denounced the attack on X, calling it a "cowardly" escalation.
The coalition will maintain heightened air‑defence readiness as it coordinates with U.N. officials for a meeting next week, where a ceasefire proposal will be tabled. The outcome of that meeting could shape the next phase of the Yemen conflict.