Missile fragments land in Mecca and Medina as Aden airport takes fourth hit in October

Two ballistic missiles fired by Houthi forces reached the vicinity of Mecca and Medina on Saturday, according to Saudi civil defence officials. The agency stated that the projectiles were intercepted, though shrapnel fell within both cities. Images released by the Saudi Press Agency showed a large, dark object that appeared to be a missile fragment resting on the ground.

Simultaneously, two ballistic missiles struck Aden International Airport, marking the fourth attack on the facility this month. The Yemeni Transport Ministry said the strikes threatened civil aviation safety and carried economic consequences for travelers. Officials also reported that the coastguard headquarters and another building in Aden were hit during the assault. The Houthi group claimed responsibility for targeting the al-Nasr camp and the naval military base.

The Houthi leadership disputed the idea that the Saudi holy cities were the primary objective. They described the official claim as a large lie and stated that their intended targets were three Saudi airports, oil infrastructure, and an airbase. In a separate incident on Friday, a Houthi missile malfunctioned and crashed into a family home in Sanaa, killing three people. The Yemeni army said this was one of several such malfunctions observed in recent weeks.

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that Saudi coalition airstrikes killed several civilians in Sanaa and Hodeidah on Saturday. The claim could not be independently verified, and Riyadh has not issued a formal comment regarding the alleged raids. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, called the Houthi attacks heinous. He said the strikes showed a blatant disregard for civilian lives and security.

Col. Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, a Yemeni army spokesman, announced that government forces conducted more than 700 targeting operations over the previous 24 hours. He claimed these actions neutralized 300 Houthi fighters and disabled military vehicles, though the figures have not been independently verified. The operations focused on field command centers, weapons depots, and supply lines in Taiz, where intense clashes have continued for days.

Since a fragile ceasefire agreed upon in 2022 collapsed in July, the Houthis have used long-range strikes to pressure Saudi energy infrastructure and airports. This sustained campaign has defined the current phase of the conflict as fighting intensifies along Yemen’s front lines.