Houthi fires at oil plants and airports as Saudi Arabia downs missiles
Saudi defenses intercepted projectiles aimed at Mecca and Medina, while the Houthis claimed strikes on major oil and airport infrastructure.
By Javier Cabrera ·
Regional tensions rose on Saturday as Saudi Arabia engaged Yemeni Houthi missile attacks near two of Islam's holiest cities.
Saudi Civil Defense officials confirmed the interception of two ballistic missiles heading toward the Mecca and Medina regions. Debris from these intercepts fell in Jeddah, Taif, and Rabigh.
The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, stated that the group targeted several Saudi facilities during the same window. These included the Saudi Aramco facility in Yanbu, the Rabigh oil refinery, and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Saree also listed King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Najran airport, and an air base in Khamis Mushait as strike targets.
Earlier in the day, the Houthi-linked Saba News Agency reported that Yemen's National Commission for Human Rights condemned Saudi strikes in Sanaa. The commission described events in the Asr neighborhood as a massacre and noted an attack on a cement factory in the Hamdan district.
The US State Department updated its travel advisory for Israel on Friday. The notice warned of an increased threat from Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and the potential for rapid escalation. The department cited previous Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian airports and critical infrastructure that caused casualties and travel disruptions. The overall travel classification for Israel remained at Level 3, advising US citizens to reconsider travel due to terrorism and unrest.
The US update did not change existing risk indicators or restrictions on travel to specific areas of Israel.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
