Saudi-led Coalition Dismisses Houthi Claims of Riyadh Attack as 'Misleading'

The Saudi-led coalition has dismissed claims by the Houthi group in Yemen that they targeted Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, with ballistic missiles and drones, labeling them as "misleading." Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki stated that the Houthis are attempting to divert attention from their significant losses and growing public anger against them.

The Houthis had claimed their assault caused large fires at an Aramco oil facility near Riyadh. These allegations come amid an intensification of fighting between the Houthis and Yemeni government forces.

Highlights

• The Saudi-led coalition called Houthi claims of a Riyadh attack "misleading."
• Houthis alleged ballistic missile and drone attacks on an Aramco facility near Riyadh.
• The coalition spokesman suggested Houthis are trying to distract from their losses.
• Yemeni government forces reported 257 precision targeting operations against Houthi sites.
• Initial estimates suggest these operations killed around 700 Houthi rebels.

Details

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki rejected the Houthi claims of ballistic missile and drone attacks on Riyadh. Al-Maliki asserted that the Houthis are "attempting to divert attention from the scale of the losses and the growing public anger against them" amidst their ongoing conflict with Yemen's internationally recognized government forces. The Houthis, however, maintained that their assault led to significant fires at an Aramco oil facility near the Saudi capital.

Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, spokesman for Yemen's internationally recognized government forces, announced that they conducted 257 precision targeting operations against Houthi positions, movements, and military capabilities on Saturday. Initial estimates indicate that these operations resulted in the deaths of approximately 700 Houthi rebels. Early on Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition also reported carrying out 97 "precise targeting operations" against Houthi reinforcements in the Tor al-Baha front and Taiz axis.

Why it matters

These developments are part of the escalating conflict in Yemen, which has intensified since a fragile 2022 truce collapsed in July. The renewed fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and continues to destabilize the region. The conflicting claims from both sides highlight the ongoing tensions and the propaganda war being waged amidst the broader conflict.