Yemeni army says 300 Houthi fighters killed as missile debris falls near Mecca

Yemeni army spokesman Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili announced that government forces neutralized 300 Houthi fighters during more than 700 targeting operations carried out in the last 24 hours. He stated that these actions disabled military vehicles and struck field command centers, weapons depots, and supply lines in the Taiz region. The military noted that intense clashes have persisted in this area for days.

In parallel, Houthi forces launched a new wave of attacks against Saudi Arabia and Aden, the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Saudi Arabia’s civil defense agency confirmed on Saturday that two ballistic missiles were fired toward Mecca and Medina. The agency warned of falling shrapnel after intercepting the projectiles, while images from the Saudi Press Agency showed a large, blackened missile fragment that landed within the country.

The Yemeni government’s Transport Ministry condemned the targeting of Aden International Airport, which was hit by two ballistic missiles on Saturday. This marks the fourth such incident at the facility in the current month. Officials stated that the strikes threaten civil aviation safety and carry economic consequences for citizens who rely on the airport. Houthi forces claimed responsibility for hitting the al-Nasr camp and the naval military base in the city.

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that Saudi coalition airstrikes killed several civilians in Sanaa and Hodeidah on Saturday. Riyadh has not yet issued a formal comment on the alleged raids, and the figures could not be independently verified. In a related incident on Friday, a Houthi missile malfunctioned and crashed into a family home in Sanaa, killing three people.

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, described the Houthi attacks as heinous in a statement shared on Saturday. He said the strikes embodied a blatant disregard for the lives and security of civilians. The Houthi group disputed the official narrative, calling the claim that they aimed at Mecca and Medina a huge lie. Instead, they stated their intended targets were three Saudi airports, oil infrastructure, and an airbase.

Since a fragile ceasefire agreed in 2022 collapsed in July, Houthis have consistently used long-range strikes to target Saudi energy infrastructure and airports. This sustained pressure has defined the current phase of the conflict as both sides continue to fight for control of key areas along the front lines.