Yemen’s Houthi movement has denied targeting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina after Saudi authorities reported intercepting ballistic missiles and finding debris across several locations in the kingdom. The denial came amid an escalation in cross-border hostilities, with the group claiming attacks on Saudi oil facilities, airports and military installations.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree rejected the allegations on Saturday, October 24, describing claims that the group had directed attacks towards Islam’s holiest cities as false. He said the movement’s military operations were focused on Saudi energy infrastructure and military targets.
Saudi authorities, meanwhile, reported that debris from intercepted missiles had fallen in several areas, including locations in the Mecca and Medina regions. The competing accounts have added to uncertainty surrounding the latest developments in the widening regional conflict.
Saudi Arabia Reports Missile Interceptions
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence said missile debris had fallen in parts of the kingdom after the interception of incoming ballistic missiles. Reported locations included areas around Mecca, Jeddah, Taif and Rabigh.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said it had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles directed towards Yanbu and Taif. Authorities also issued brief safety alerts for residents in several areas before announcing that the immediate threat had passed.
The reports prompted questions about the intended destinations of the missiles and whether the debris was connected to attacks claimed by the Houthis against Saudi infrastructure.
Saudi authorities did not publicly establish that the holy cities themselves had been deliberately targeted. The Houthis maintained that their operations were directed at oil installations and military facilities rather than religious sites.
Houthis Claim Attacks on Oil Facilities and Airports
The Houthi movement said its operations targeted several strategic locations across Saudi Arabia. The sites named by its military spokesperson included King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco facility in Yanbu and the Rabigh oil refinery.
The group also claimed to have targeted crude oil pumping stations, the East-West Pipeline, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, an airport in Najran and an airbase in Khamis Mushait.
These claims could not be independently confirmed in full. It remained unclear whether the reported attacks had reached their intended targets or whether Saudi air defences had intercepted the incoming weapons.
The locations identified by the Houthis include important aviation and energy infrastructure. Any disruption to such facilities could have wider implications for transport and oil exports, although the immediate impact of the latest reported attacks was not fully established.
Fighting Spreads to Southern Yemen
The latest escalation has also affected Aden, a major port city in southern Yemen where the internationally recognised government is based.
Yemen’s government reported that three ballistic missiles had been fired at coast guard installations in the city. Its Interior Ministry said two missiles struck a coast guard headquarters, while another hit a building in the Tawahi district.
The Houthi spokesperson offered a different account, saying the group's forces had targeted Saudi-backed military gatherings and a naval base in Aden. He alleged that Saudi officers were overseeing military mobilisation at the locations.
The competing claims highlight the difficulty of establishing a complete picture of the fighting as attacks and counterclaims continue across multiple locations.
Renewed Violence Threatens Yemen’s Fragile Truce
The latest confrontations have undermined a United Nations-brokered truce agreed in 2022, which had largely halted cross-border attacks between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The Houthis control the capital, Sanaa, and substantial areas of northern Yemen, while the internationally recognised government maintains its presence in other parts of the country.
The renewed fighting is unfolding amid the wider regional conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The expansion of hostilities has increased pressure on regional security arrangements and raised concerns about further disruption to civilian life, aviation and energy supplies.
Mecca and Medina hold exceptional religious importance for Muslims worldwide. Mecca is home to the Kaaba and the Grand Mosque, while Medina contains the Prophet’s Mosque. Reports involving missile activity near these regions therefore carry particular sensitivity.
For now, the Houthis continue to deny targeting either city, while Saudi authorities maintain that missiles were intercepted and debris fell across several areas. Further verified information will be needed to establish the precise circumstances surrounding the reported incidents.
