Saudi-Led Coalition Thwarts Houthi Missile Attack Aimed at Medina

The Saudi-led coalition, engaged in conflict with Yemen’s Houthis, announced on Thursday that it had intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Iran-aligned armed group towards the Medina region. This area is significant as it is home to one of Islam’s holiest cities. The announcement followed shortly after Saudi Arabia’s civil defence agency issued a warning regarding potential danger in the vicinity of the crucial port of Yanbu.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki stated on X, “Air defence intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the terrorist Houthi militia toward the Medina region.” The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, have denied targeting the city, calling such accusations a “blatant and grave falsehood.” Houthi Military Spokesman Yahya Saree asserted on X that their operations are exclusively directed at “oil facilities and military bases,” dismissing the coalition’s claim as a lie.

The Houthis have previously targeted the port of Yanbu multiple times in recent months, among other attacks on airports, energy infrastructure, and military sites. The National Early Warning Platform in Yanbu Governorate had alerted residents to a “potential danger,” a statement later updated to confirm the threat had passed. Yanbu serves as a major oil export hub and is a critical point for oil shipments via the kingdom’s East-West pipeline, playing a vital role in Riyadh's crude and fuel exports to global markets since February.

In a separate development, Yemen’s internationally recognized government forces reported advances in the Sanamat area of Taiz governorate, where intense fighting persists. Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili reported that government forces conducted 1,298 “targeting operations” against the Houthis in the preceding 24 hours, successfully regaining control of Sanamat. He claimed approximately 400 Houthi fighters were killed and 132 vehicles were destroyed. Al Jazeera has not independently verified these claims.

Previously, Yemeni government forces had recaptured Taiz’s Dhubab district and key positions near the vital Bab al-Mandeb strait. On the al-Jawf front, military engineering units are continuing to clear mines and booby traps from recaptured areas. The government stated last month that over 16,100 Houthi operatives and commanders had been killed or wounded since October 5. The Houthis have not confirmed any death toll and continue to launch regular missile attacks towards Saudi Arabia, impacting several airports and disrupting air traffic.

Yazeed al-Jeddawy, a research manager at the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, commented to Al Jazeera that the conflict appears to be evolving into a prolonged war of attrition, with the government offensive failing to significantly alter the balance of power in the last 30 days. He noted that the conflict is now intrinsically linked to the broader regional confrontation involving Iran.