Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners carried out overnight airstrikes on the northwestern Yemeni province of Saada after Houthi forces launched a series of ballistic missiles and drones at a Saudi international airport and two air bases.
Sources on the ground in Yemen confirmed the strikes hit Saada, which serves as the primary base of power for Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. The Qatari publication Al-Araby Al-Jadeed also reported on the airstrikes targeting the province, calling it “the stronghold of the Houthi leader.”
The fresh round of fighting was triggered after Yemen’s internationally recognized government — backed by Saudi Arabia — struck the runway at Sanaa International Airport in an effort to stop an Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation from landing.
In response, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced that the period of de-escalation had come to an end. Houthi forces then unleashed a volley of ballistic missiles and drones aimed at Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia, as well as King Khalid Air Base and Prince Sultan Air Base.
The Saudi-led military coalition reported that Saudi air defense systems successfully intercepted the missiles and drones over the kingdom’s southern region. No significant casualties were reported on the Saudi side.
The renewed hostilities represent a major turning point after years of dramatically reduced conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi movement.
Back in April 2022, the United Nations brokered a two-month ceasefire between the coalition — which backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government — and the Houthi rebels. That agreement stopped cross-border attacks, allowed commercial flights to resume from Houthi-controlled Sanaa, and eased restrictions on fuel shipments through the Red Sea port of Hodeidah.
Although the formal truce expired in October 2022, both parties largely held to an unofficial period of reduced hostilities for four years — until the violence that erupted again on Tuesday.
