Houthis obtained advanced technology with regional assistance, coalition says

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia has acquired advanced technology with assistance from regional parties, Saudi-led coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki said Thursday, as he detailed military operations against the militia and the mounting civilian toll from its attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Speaking at a press conference, al-Malki did not identify the regional parties involved or specify the technology obtained by the Houthis.

He said the militia had established weapons storage facilities in mountainous areas of Sanaa, Saada and Amran, using them as bases for launching attacks.

The Houthis were also using tunnel entrances and natural cavities in mountains to launch missiles, he added.

Al-Malki said coalition forces had destroyed 127 Houthi storage facilities in mountainous areas over recent days, along with numerous missile launchers, as part of efforts to degrade the militia’s military capabilities.

During the press conference, the coalition displayed footage of strikes targeting tunnels, weapons depots and missile launchers in Sanaa and Saada, including ballistic missile storage facilities in the mountains surrounding the Yemeni capital.

It also showed videos of operations targeting Houthi ballistic missile launch experts.

Al-Malki outlined a separate military operation against facilities used to sustain the militia’s war effort in Sanaa, Hodeida and Dhamar, saying it had been carried out in response to attacks on airports and maritime navigation.

He accused the Houthis of exploiting civilian infrastructure and Yemen’s resources to support their military operations, saying the coalition had established that such facilities were being used to supply the militia’s war effort.

The coalition displayed footage of the operation, which targeted facilities it said were supporting Houthi military capabilities.

In an earlier statement, the coalition identified the al-Sabaha Central Station in Sanaa, underground fuel reserves, storage tanks and fuel transport and unloading facilities among the sites it said were being used for military purposes.

The coalition said the Houthis had diverted resources intended for Yemen’s civilian population to support attacks against Saudi Arabia and maritime traffic.

Turning to the impact of Houthi attacks on the Kingdom, al-Malki said at least 19 people had been killed and 364 injured in strikes targeting Saudi airports.

Of those, 17 people were killed and more than 330 injured in attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which he said had been targeted 20 times since October 1.

The spokesman said the Houthis had attempted to strike dozens of airports, oil facilities and ports across Saudi Arabia, warning that attacks on airports endangered the lives of thousands of civilian travelers.

The coalition displayed images of cruise missiles used in attacks on King Khalid International Airport, alongside footage documenting strikes on Saudi airports.

Al-Malki said a total of 1,104 missiles and 1,135 drones had been launched toward Saudi Arabia since the start of military operations.

The coalition also presented footage showing the interception of Houthi missiles and drones launched toward the Kingdom.

Al-Malki denounced the attacks on civilian facilities as acts of terrorism that threatened regional and international security and stability.

He also condemned Houthi attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina, describing them as heinous acts of aggression and part of a broader pattern of hostility toward Islam’s holiest sites.

The spokesman called on the Houthis to immediately cease all attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.

He stressed that the coalition possessed the capabilities necessary to confront Houthi threats and would continue military operations to deter further attacks.

Al-Malki also reaffirmed the coalition’s support for Yemen’s internationally recognized government and armed forces.

The press conference came amid an escalation in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and intensified coalition operations against the militia in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet warned Tuesday that the Houthis would bear the consequences of their repeated attacks on the Kingdom, including strikes targeting airports and other civilian and economic facilities.