The authorities of Saudi Arabia have communicated this Saturday the interception of ballistic missiles directed towards the region of Mecca and Medina, considered the most sacred cities of Islam, and have held the Houthi militias of Yemen responsible for these launches.
"Debris has fallen in the regions of Mecca and Medina after the interception of two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi terrorist militia towards these regions," the Saudi General Directorate of Civil Defense reported in a statement.
According to the data provided, the debris from the projectiles has been located in Wadi al Mughmas, in the Holy City of Mecca, as well as in the district of Al Nuzha, in the province of Jeddah; also in Wadi Yalil, in the province of Taif, and in the center of Masturá, in the province of Rabigh.
The Houthi forces have acknowledged the execution of seven offensives with drones and ballistic missiles against Saudi territory in response to Riyadh's support for the Yemeni government. However, in their official version, they do not refer to Mecca or Medina, which they avoid explicitly mentioning due to their religious significance.
The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Sari, has detailed that one of these attacks targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh; another was directed against facilities of the state oil company Aramco in Yanbu; a third impacted the Rabigh refinery; a fourth was launched against crude oil pumping stations of the east-west pipeline; a fifth targeted King Fahd International Airport in Dammam; a sixth the Najran Airport and a seventh against Jamis Mushait Air Base.
On the other hand, a military spokesperson for the Yemeni government recognized by the international community, Mayed Abdulá al Nazili, has communicated the death of "more than 300 Houthi fighters" in over 700 "attack operations" carried out in the last 24 hours. In these actions, government forces claim to have destroyed 68 vehicles and various weapons.
The Yemeni Executive has also reported a new attack against Aden airport, the main city under government control. According to their version, the Houthis would have fired two ballistic missiles at these airport facilities.
In addition, the Yemeni Army has reported the death of three civilians and another five injured after the accidental impact of a Houthi missile against a house in Sana'a, the capital, which has been under Houthi control since 2014. Among the victims would be women and minors.