The Saudi-led military coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis said on Thursday that it had intercepted a cruise missile in the Madina region, an area that includes one of the faith’s most revered cities. The Houthis rejected the claim and said they had not attacked the region that day. Coalition spokesman Turki Al-Malki announced the interception in a post on X, and state media also carried the statement.
The Houthis responded swiftly, saying they had not targeted the region on Thursday. They had previously pledged to leave the holy cities of Madina and Makkah alone. Madina is the burial place of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and is home to the Prophet’s Mosque, ranking alongside Makkah among Islam’s holiest cities.
Houthi denial and Saudi claims over Madina
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree posted on X on Thursday that “the Saudi enemy’s claims of an attack on Madina are a shameless and brazen lie.” He said the Yemeni armed forces had not carried out any operation against Saudi territory that day. On Sunday, the group had said Makkah and Madina would be spared, though it vowed to keep striking airports and other sites across the kingdom.
Attacks on Riyadh and Aramco sites escalate
Saudi Arabia has come under sustained Houthi attack in recent days, including a strike on Riyadh’s international airport, which was the kingdom’s deadliest in years. Riyadh has responded with strikes on the group’s stronghold in the Yemeni capital Sanaa. On Wednesday, the Houthis said they had targeted Aramco facilities, while Saudi officials reported a strike on a building in an area housing the energy giant’s operations centre.
The coalition has backed Yemen’s government militarily against the Houthis since 2015, in a long-running civil war that has produced a humanitarian crisis. The latest exchanges take place as fighting intensifies.
