Saudi-Led Coalition Says It Destroyed 136 Houthi Military Targets in Yemen Airstrikes

RIYADH (Terror Monitor) — The Saudi-led military coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government has announced that it destroyed 136 military targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen in a series of large-scale airstrikes aimed at weakening the Iran-backed group’s ballistic missile capabilities.

Saudi officials said the air campaign targeted Houthi military positions and infrastructure as part of a broader operation intended to reduce the group’s ability to launch missiles against Saudi territory and threaten regional security.

A Saudi military spokesperson said coalition fighter jets had carried out multiple strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, describing the operations as part of an intensified military campaign following recent missile attacks on Saudi targets.

The coalition’s reported destruction of 136 military targets could not be independently verified. Saudi authorities have said the operation was intended to damage the Houthis’ missile-launching capabilities and prevent further attacks against Saudi cities and civilian infrastructure.

Houthi-affiliated television channel Al-Masirah reported that Saudi aircraft struck several locations in Saada province in northwestern Yemen, a major stronghold of the Houthi movement. The group has controlled substantial parts of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, since seizing the city in 2014.

The latest offensive comes amid a sharp escalation in hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis following a series of missile attacks attributed to the group against Saudi airports and other targets.

Saudi authorities said three people were killed in Thursday’s attacks involving King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and a Saudia Airlines aircraft. The dead included Saudi pilot Captain Hamoud Ali Al-Kalthami, according to reports concerning the incidents.

The attacks also reportedly injured several people, raising concerns about civilian safety and the vulnerability of aviation infrastructure amid the escalating conflict.

The incidents followed earlier attacks involving King Khalid International Airport and Abha International Airport. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation reported that three people, including two women, were killed and another 36 were injured in those attacks.

The casualty figures have appeared in separate reports concerning attacks at different locations and times. It remains unclear whether all the reported figures represent separate incidents or include overlapping accounts of the same attacks.

The Houthis have claimed responsibility for missile attacks against Saudi targets. Their attacks have increased pressure on Saudi air defenses and raised concerns about further disruption to commercial aviation and civilian infrastructure.

Separately, Houthi-affiliated media reported that Saudi airstrikes targeting Sanaa International Airport killed two people. The reported deaths had not been independently verified.

The Saudi military spokesperson also said coalition aircraft were providing air support to forces belonging to Yemen’s internationally recognized government as they conducted operations against Houthi positions. The support is intended to help government forces confront the group and strengthen military pressure on its strongholds.

Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in Yemen in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government after the Houthis seized Sanaa and expanded their control over large parts of the country. The conflict has since involved extensive air operations, ground fighting and cross-border attacks, contributing to one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, are an armed political movement that emerged as a major force in Yemen during the past two decades. Saudi Arabia and its allies accuse Iran of providing the group with military support, including assistance connected to its missile and drone capabilities. Tehran’s relationship with the Houthis remains a major source of regional tension.

The latest escalation also carries implications for security across the Arabian Peninsula and the Red Sea, including the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a strategically important maritime passage linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Prolonged fighting could further threaten commercial shipping, regional trade and energy transportation.

The renewed air campaign risks worsening conditions for civilians in Houthi-controlled areas, particularly if strikes damage residential neighborhoods, transportation facilities or essential services. Independent confirmation of the full extent of the reported destruction, the number of casualties and the status of the military targets remains limited.

The Saudi-led coalition has framed the offensive as a response to attacks against Saudi territory and an effort to prevent further missile launches. The Houthis, meanwhile, have reported continued Saudi strikes against their positions and areas under their control.

With airstrikes and military operations continuing, the latest escalation threatens to deepen Yemen’s conflict and increase security risks across the region. The scale of the reported operation and its impact on the Houthis’ missile capabilities are likely to become clearer as further information emerges from the affected areas.