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RIYADH, October 6, 2026: The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it destroyed a storage facility containing 20 ballistic missiles in Saada and a ballistic missile launch platform in Sanaa as fighting with the Houthis intensified.
Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki said the strikes targeted a mountainous missile storage site in Saada province and a launch platform in the Yemeni capital, according to Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The coalition also said its naval forces carried out an operation in Yemen’s western Al-Hudaydah governorate. According to SPA, the operation targeted weapons depots, facilities storing explosive-laden boats and naval mines.
The coalition said the operation also disrupted preparations for attacks against waterways in the southern Red Sea. It described the action as part of efforts to protect maritime navigation around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The escalation came as Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed it had launched several attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group used ballistic and cruise missiles and drones in three operations.
According to the Houthi statement, one operation targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Saree claimed the attack disrupted air traffic.
A second operation allegedly targeted a refinery linked to Saudi oil company Aramco in Rabigh in the Mecca region. Saree claimed the strike caused a fire.
The third operation, according to the Houthi statement, targeted Abha Airport, a military base in Khamis Mushait and Akfa camp in the southern Asir region. The group also claimed attacks against what it described as sensitive sites in Najran and Jazan.
There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities of the Houthi claims.
The latest fighting adds to growing security concerns around the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, one of the world’s key maritime routes.
The coalition said its Al-Hudaydah operation aimed to prevent imminent attacks against waterways in the southern Red Sea. It also said the strikes targeted equipment and facilities linked to maritime operations.
The renewed escalation follows a broader Saudi-backed military campaign by Yemen’s internationally recognised government against Houthi forces. Reuters reported that government forces recently launched an offensive around Bab el-Mandeb and the western coast.
Yemen has remained divided since the Houthis seized Sanaa and large parts of the country in 2014. Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened militarily in 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The conflict later saw a significant reduction in fighting after a UN-brokered truce in 2022. However, hostilities have intensified again in recent weeks.
The latest strikes and missile claims point to a wider escalation involving Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the strategically important Red Sea corridor. The situation could also increase risks for commercial shipping and regional security.
