Key Points
- Coalition spokesman accuses Houthis of targeting Makkah and Madinah.
- Says it dismantled Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen.
- Missile launch platforms were destroyed in several Yemeni areas.
- Riyadh credits its air defences with intercepting incoming threats.
ISLAMABAD: The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen has condemned Houthi attacks on civilian airports and infrastructure, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, warning that the strikes threaten civilian lives, passenger safety, and the security of the Kingdom’s holy sites.
Major General Turki Al-Malki, official spokesperson for the Coalition, said the attacks constituted a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and its customary rules, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference on the targeting of the airport, Al-Malki offered condolences to the families of those killed in the attacks and wished the injured a speedy recovery. He said the targeting of holy sites, civilians and civilian infrastructure reflected a pattern of Houthi conduct that ran counter to humanitarian principles, ethics and values.
Coalition Press Conference: Airport Attacks Violate International Humanitarian Law, Houthi Offensive Capabilities Will Be Dismantled.
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#SPAGOV https://t.co/FXpvPhOXuR— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) October 15, 2026
Threat to civilians
Al-Malki condemned the Houthi attacks against civilians and civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia, including King Khalid International Airport, which serves Riyadh and its surrounding areas. He said the attacks formed part of a series of assaults on civilian sites used daily by tens of thousands of people.
The spokesperson also accused the Houthis of targeting Makkah and Madinah, saying such actions formed part of a systematic hostile approach that threatened visitors to the Two Holy Mosques and the safety of pilgrims. He stressed the need to take all necessary measures to protect Saudi Arabia’s security and its holy sites.
The United Nations has also condemned the recent attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure. On October 12, the UN secretary-general’s spokesperson said the continued Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, particularly civilian airports, were strongly condemned. The UN reiterated that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure violated international law and called on all parties to exercise restraint.
According to SPA, Al-Malki said the Houthis had acquired advanced military technologies with assistance from regional actors. He said the group had developed capabilities involving ballistic missiles, offensive and suicide unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and booby-trapped high-speed boats.
Al-Malki described the group’s possession of these weapons as unprecedented for a terrorist organisation, underscoring the coalition’s concerns about the expanding range of threats posed by the Houthis.
Weapons facilities destroyed
The coalition spokesperson said the Joint Forces Command had dismantled a network of mountain storage facilities established by the Houthis in Sanaa, Saada and Amran. The facilities were “used to prepare and launch attacks” against targets in Yemen and neighbouring countries.
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Al-Malki added that the coalition had destroyed several missile launch platforms as part of efforts to weaken the group’s offensive capabilities. He said the Joint Forces Command would continue taking necessary measures to counter Houthi threats, including targeting weapons depots and missile launch sites.
Civilian infrastructure allegations
Al-Malki also accused the Houthis of using civilian facilities and vital resources to support their military campaign. He cited Al-Sabaha Central Station in Sanaa, along with underground fuel reserves, storage tanks and fuel transport and offloading terminals in Hudaydah, Sanaa and Dhamar, as examples of infrastructure allegedly being used to sustain the group’s war effort.
The spokesperson said the coalition had demonstrated that the Houthis were exploiting civilian objects and essential resources for military purposes.
Air defence measures
Al-Malki praised the efficiency of Saudi Arabia’s air defence systems, saying they had intercepted threats and thwarted attacks. He said the coalition command would continue efforts to protect the Kingdom and dismantle the Houthis’ offensive capabilities.
Al-Malki called for an immediate end to all Houthi operations targeting civilians and civilian objects, specifically mentioning airports, ports, oil facilities and other critical infrastructure. He said the coalition would continue taking the measures it considered necessary to counter threats posed by the group.
