Houthis say they launched six operations on Saudi targets after Saudi strikes on Yemen
In short
Yemen's Houthi group said on 19 October that over the previous 48 hours it carried out six military operations on oil, aviation and military targets inside Saudi Arabia, using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. It said Saudi Arabia had launched more than 200 air and missile strikes in the same period, killing or wounding dozens of people, most of them women and children.
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Yemen's Houthi group said on 19 October that over the previous 48 hours it carried out six military operations against oil facilities, aviation facilities and military targets inside Saudi Arabia, using a large number of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones, Xinhua reported. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree (叶海亚·萨雷亚) made the statement on the group's Masirah TV (马西拉电视台). He said the first operation, in two waves, hit Saudi Aramco facilities in the western port city of Yanbu, hit the target and started a large fire. The second hit the Shaybah oilfield in eastern Saudi Arabia, a direct hit that started a fire. The third, in three waves, hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. [ 5 , 6 ]
Saree said the fourth operation, in three waves, hit Abha International Airport, radar facilities on two mountains and King Khalid Air Base at Khamis Mushait in south-western Saudi Arabia, disrupting flights and damaging air base facilities. The fifth hit a Saudi naval task force camp, causing casualties among Saudi troops, and the sixth destroyed a radar facility in the Najran area. [ 5 , 6 ]
Saree said the operations responded to more than 200 Saudi air and missile strikes in the same 48 hours on Houthi-controlled areas, which he said killed or wounded dozens of Yemenis, most of them women and children. CLS reported the statement as saying the targets included civilian facilities in Sanaa and elsewhere. The Houthis put the total number of Saudi strikes since this round of escalation at more than 2,700. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
An earlier Houthi statement, reported by CLS, Yicai and Jiemian on 19 October, said Saudi Arabia launched 110 air and missile strikes in 24 hours on Sanaa and the provinces of Hodeidah, Taiz, Amran, Hajjah, Saada, Al Jawf, Dhale and Marib, killing or wounding more than 30 people, mostly women and children. It gave the total since the escalation as 2,652. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Saree said the Houthis will keep attacking targets inside Saudi Arabia and what he called Saudi military gatherings in Yemen until Saudi Arabia stops its military operations against Yemen and lifts the blockade on Houthi-controlled areas. Xinhua added that attacks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have recently intensified, and that fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces on several fronts is growing fiercer. [ 5 , 6 ]
Why it matters
Chinese outlets, including Xinhua, describe a recent increase in attacks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, along with fiercer fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. The documents carry only the Houthi account, and the Houthi spokesman said attacks will continue until Saudi Arabia ends its military operations and lifts its blockade.
Key facts
- On 19 October the Houthis said they carried out six military operations in 48 hours on oil facilities, aviation facilities and military targets inside Saudi Arabia. [ 5 , 6 ]
- The Houthis said Saudi Arabia launched more than 200 air and missile strikes in the same 48 hours, causing dozens of deaths and injuries, most of them women and children. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- An earlier Houthi statement, reported on 19 October, claimed 110 Saudi air and missile strikes in 24 hours on Sanaa and eight provinces, with more than 30 killed or wounded. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The Houthis put the total of Saudi air and missile strikes since this round of escalation at 2,652 in the earlier statement and at more than 2,700 in the later one. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Spokesman Yahya Saree said the first operation hit Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu, starting a large fire, and the second hit the Shaybah oilfield, starting a fire. [ 5 , 6 ]
- Saree said the Houthis will keep attacking targets inside Saudi Arabia until Saudi Arabia stops its military operations against Yemen and lifts the blockade on Houthi-held areas. [ 5 , 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Houthis issued statements saying Saudi Arabia carried out more than 200 air and missile strikes in 48 hours, with most of the dozens of casualties being women and children. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Xinhua reported that the Houthis claimed six operations against Saudi oil, aviation and military targets, and said Saudi-Houthi attacks on each other have recently intensified. [ 5 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the Houthi-claimed strikes on Saudi targets and the claimed Saudi strikes and casualties happened as described All figures and damage claims come from Houthi statements; the documents contain no Saudi response or independent verification.
- Exact casualty numbers in Yemen The Houthis gave only 'more than 30' killed or wounded for 24 hours and 'dozens' for 48 hours, without separating deaths from injuries.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- CLS reported the Houthi statement of 110 Saudi air and missile strikes in 24 hours (19 October). [ 1 ]
- Jiemian said the Houthi statement on the 110 strikes was issued on the evening of 18 October local time (published 19 October). [ 3 ]
- CLS reported the Houthi statement of six operations against Saudi Arabia in 48 hours (20 October). [ 4 ]
- Xinhua published the detailed account of the six operations, dated 19 October (20 October). [ 5 ]