New Delhi: Explosions were reported in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, on Tuesday after a Saudi-led coalition warned civilians to leave an oil facility ahead of a military operation. Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree threatened a “harsh and painful” response against Saudi Arabia if Sanaa was attacked, as Houthi-affiliated media reported airstrikes west of the city.
The coalition identified the Yemen oil company’s al-Subaha central station and nearby storage areas as the evacuation zone. Its spokesman, Major General Turki al-Maliki, published a map of the site and urged residents to leave for their safety, without specifying the planned operation’s scope.
Residents reported hearing explosions, while Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah television said coalition aircraft had struck oil facilities. The precise facilities hit could not immediately be established, according to the Associated Press. No independently verified casualty figures or damage assessment were available.
Houthis threaten Saudi oil installations
The Houthis extended their warning to Dammam in Saudi Arabia’s eastern province, with Saree threatening a “harsh and painful” response in Riyadh and Dammam if Sanaa came under attack. He also urged workers and civilians to stay away from Saudi Aramco facilities, describing them as potential military targets.
The Yemen oil company claimed its storage facilities in the threatened area were empty and that fuel supplies would not be affected. The claim has not been independently verified.
Separately, the Saudi-led coalition said its air defences intercepted and destroyed three drones north of Riyadh on Tuesday, although the claim could not be independently confirmed. As RNA Media reported on Tuesday, the development came amid growing concerns over civilian safety and flight disruptions affecting Indian travellers.
Riyadh airport remains closed after deadly strikes
The confrontation follows repeated attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. Saturday’s strike killed at least 13 people and injured more than 300, while a separate attack on Sunday left another person dead and 11 injured. As RNA Media reported on Monday, the attacks forced the airport’s closure and disrupted international flights.
The airport is scheduled to remain closed until October 17 under an aviation notice. Air India announced on Tuesday that it had cancelled flights to and from Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah until that date, reflecting the wider disruption to civilian aviation.
The deteriorating security situation also prompted updated international travel warnings. The US state department revised its advisory on Monday, urging American citizens to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia because of missile and drone threats from Iran and the Iran-backed Houthis. The advisory remained at level 3 and also warned against travelling near the Yemen border because of terrorism risks.
Meanwhile, at least five civilians, including a five-year-old girl, were reportedly killed in Houthi shelling across Yemen’s southwestern Taiz province. The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms documented 43 violations over 24 hours, leaving five civilians dead and 17 injured, according to Al Jazeera’s live coverage on Tuesday. The casualties came amid intensified fighting between Houthi forces and troops loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which has launched offensives across several fronts.
The escalation also comes amid fighting along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, where Saudi-backed forces are attempting to regain areas seized by the Houthis near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a major international shipping route.
Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, urged an end to attacks on Saudi Arabia during a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on Tuesday. The coalition has not publicly confirmed the precise facilities hit in the reported Sanaa strikes or released a casualty assessment.