2 ballistic missiles reach Saudi holy cities as Aden airport takes a 4th hit

Two ballistic missiles reached the vicinity of Mecca and Medina on Saturday, prompting Saudi Arabia to warn of falling debris after intercepting the projectiles.

The strikes represent the latest escalation in a conflict that has intensified since a fragile ceasefire collapsed in July. For weeks, Houthi forces have used long-range weapons to target Saudi energy infrastructure and airports. On Friday, a malfunctioning Houthi missile crashed into a family home in Sanaa, killing three people. The Yemeni army described the incident as one of several recent failures involving the Iran-backed group's weaponry.

Aden International Airport faced a fourth missile attack this month on Saturday. The Transport Ministry of Yemen's internationally recognized government condemned the strikes on the facility, which it said carried economic and humanitarian consequences for travelers. Yemeni authorities also reported that the coastguard headquarters and another building in the city were hit. Houthi forces claimed responsibility for striking the al-Nasr camp and a naval military base in the port city. In Hodeidah and Sanaa, Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that Saudi coalition airstrikes killed several civilians, though Riyadh has not yet formally commented on the raids.

Saudi Arabia's civil defence agency confirmed the launch of two ballistic missiles toward the holy cities on its X account. Images released by the Saudi Press Agency showed a large, blackened missile-shaped object that landed within Saudi territory. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, called the attacks heinous and stated they showed a blatant disregard for civilian safety. The Houthi group rejected the official narrative, calling the claim that they targeted Mecca and Medina a huge lie. They stated their intended targets were three Saudi airports, oil infrastructure, and an airbase.

Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, a Yemeni army spokesman, announced on Saturday that government forces conducted more than 700 targeting operations in the previous 24 hours. He claimed these actions neutralized 300 Houthi fighters and disabled military vehicles. Al Jazeera could not independently verify these figures. The spokesman said the operations focused on field command centres, Houthi gatherings, weapons depots, and supply lines in Taiz, where intense clashes have persisted for days.

The next phase of the conflict will likely involve continued long-range strikes from the Houthis and defensive operations by the Yemeni government along the front lines.