Yemen’s Houthis on Monday claimed to have carried out a large-scale missile and drone attack on a Saudi air base in the southern city of Khamis Mushait.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group targeted King Khalid Air Base with dozens of ballistic missiles and drones.
He claimed the attack struck aircraft hangars, radar systems, runways, ammunition depots and other military facilities, causing “significant losses” at the base.
The Houthis said the operation was carried out in response to Saudi air strikes in Yemen, claiming that Saudi F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets had conducted more than 300 strikes across several Yemeni provinces over the past five days.
There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi Arabia of the attack or the Houthis’ claims of damage at the base.
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued an alert for Khamis Mushait but later said “the danger has passed”. It urged residents to continue following official instructions and to avoid gathering or filming.
The Houthis vowed to continue attacks inside Saudi Arabia for as long as Saudi military operations in Yemen persist, warning that any further strikes would be met with “broader and more severe” operations.
The claimed attack comes amid a sharp escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, with the two sides exchanging attacks in recent days.
Saudi Arabia has intensified air strikes on Houthi-held areas of Yemen, while the group has launched missile and drone attacks targeting southern Saudi cities and energy facilities.
Saudi authorities said last week that 73 civilians were injured in Houthi attacks on Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. The attacks also caused fires and temporary disruptions at energy facilities in the kingdom.
The Houthis captured Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and have been fighting a Saudi-led coalition for more than a decade.
