Houthi Missiles Target Saudi Cities as Yemen Dawn Operation Expands
Houthi militias launched missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia and Aden while the Yemeni government expanded its Yemen Dawn military operation.
Fighting intensified on November 12 as Houthi militias launched a series of cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones targeting Riyadh, Mecca, and the Southern Region of Saudi Arabia. Saudi air defenses intercepted three cruise missiles aimed at Riyadh and two drones targeting Mecca, with debris falling in the village of Sabuhah. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree denied targeting Mecca, claiming instead that operations successfully hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Pumping Station No. 11 in Yanbu.
Simultaneously, the Houthis fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi coalition command center in the al-Buraiqa district of Aden. In response, the internationally recognized government of Yemen expanded its Yemen Dawn operation, conducting 874 strikes over 24 hours across al-Jawf, Marib, al-Bayda, and Taiz. These attacks resulted in approximately 190 Houthi casualties.
The Saudi Arabia Civil Defence Authority issued temporary alerts for Taif, Yanbu, and Khamis Mushait, condemning the targeting of civilian objects as a violation of international humanitarian law. The World Health Organization reported that total casualties in the conflict have risen to 11,755 as of November 8, with more than 320,000 people displaced since August 1.
