Saudi Arabia.. Coalition Spokesman Denies Houthi Claims of Targeting Riyadh: "They Seek Illusory Victories"

- The spokesperson for the "Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen" led by Saudi Arabia denied late Saturday what it described as the "claims" of the Houthis regarding targeting the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The Saudi news channel "Al-Ikhbariya" reported via its official account on the platform "X" (formerly Twitter) that Major General Turki Al-Maliki, the coalition spokesperson, stated in remarks to the newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat" that "what the Houthi militia is experiencing in Taiz, and the human losses it is witnessing among its elements on all fronts, makes it seek illusory victories, and an attempt to divert attention from its losses, and the increasing public anger towards the behavior of these militias, and their connection to foreign agendas that have brought chaos and destruction to Yemen."

The Houthis claimed on Saturday that they targeted the "Aramco" oil company in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, as part of the escalation between the Iran-backed group and the Yemeni government forces supported by the kingdom. The military spokesperson for the Houthis, Yahya Saree, stated in a statement published on social media that a "qualitative military operation was carried out using a number of ballistic missiles and drones targeting the Aramco company" in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and claimed that the operation "successfully achieved its goal."

In contrast, the forces affiliated with the internationally recognized Yemeni government announced on Wednesday the "execution of 257 precise targeting operations against the sites, movements, and military capabilities of the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist militias, using warplanes, drones, artillery, missiles, and rocket launchers." According to an official statement, the operations included "Sana'a, Midi, Baqim, and the fronts of Al-Jawf, Marib, Al-Bayda, and Lahij, with operational efforts focused on the fronts of Taiz, targeting command and control centers, gatherings, reinforcements, combat reserves, and weapons and ammunition depots, as well as military supply lines and means."