Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, the official spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, said in a statement that the brutal attacks by the terrorist Houthi militia on civilians and civilian objects in Saudi Arabia will not go unpunished. Al-Maliki pointed to the most recent incidents that targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport as examples of the militia’s actions. The General Authority of Civil Aviation reported that the strikes on those airports took place separately on October 6 and 7. Such attacks have drawn widespread condemnation from Arab and Islamic bodies that expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia.
The coalition spokesman announced that the Joint Forces of the Coalition responded with a comprehensive operation that destroyed a total of 82 legitimate military targets belonging to the Houthi militia. Those targets were spread across the governorates of Saada, Al-Hudaydah, Al-Jawf and Marib, according to the statement. The operation followed the recent attacks and formed part of measures to protect Saudi sovereignty and civilian infrastructure. Al-Maliki stressed that the coalition would continue to act decisively against threats posed by the militia.
Among the destroyed sites were 11 mountain-based ballistic missile storages in Saada along with command and control centers and communication systems, the statement from Al-Maliki detailed. Missile and weapons storages as well as gathering sites used by Houthi groups were also hit during the operation. The coalition further reported the destruction of a ballistic missile launch platform in Sanaa that had been prepared for an imminent attack against Saudi Arabia. These actions align with the coalition’s stated policy of responding to hostile moves under principles of self-defense.
The Muslim World League, Jordan, Bahrain, the Arab Interior Ministers Council Secretariat and the GCC Secretary General condemned the Houthi attacks on the airports that resulted in deaths and injuries among several individuals, according to reports from regional outlets. Those bodies reaffirmed support for measures taken by Saudi authorities to safeguard security and civilian sites. The condemnations highlighted a pattern of Houthi aggression that has persisted despite ongoing efforts to stabilize the region. Al-Maliki noted that the militia’s repeated targeting of civilians demonstrates an extremist approach.
Earlier incidents followed a similar pattern, including an attack on September 14 that used ballistic missiles and drones against civilian objects in Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif, a prior coalition statement had reported. That earlier assault injured 13 civilians with minor to moderate wounds and caused damage to seven residential houses and two vehicles. The coalition has consistently maintained that it will take all necessary operational measures to deter such actions and counter the militia’s hostile conduct. International humanitarian law and Article 51 of the UN Charter provide the framework for these responses, Al-Maliki has previously affirmed in statements.
The coalition, formed to support Yemen’s recognized government, has conducted numerous operations against Houthi military capabilities since its intervention began, according to its periodic briefings. Al-Maliki’s latest statement reiterated that attacks on Saudi territory would prompt proportionate and responsible countermeasures to protect civilians. The spokesman called on the international community to recognize the threat posed by the militia’s use of ballistic missiles and drones against civilian infrastructure. Such operations aim to degrade the group’s ability to launch further strikes.
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