Saudi-led coalition claims 136 Houthi targets destroyed in Yemen operation

The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government says it destroyed 136 military targets in Houthi-controlled areas during a large operation. Spokesman Maj Gen Turki al-Malki gave the figure on Friday as fighting intensified along Yemen’s western coast. Associated Press said it could not independently verify the coalition’s claims.

Missile network and air support

Al-Malki said the operation sought to dismantle Houthi ballistic-missile capabilities and that coalition aircraft were supporting Yemeni government forces around the clock. The coalition has released strike footage, but independently establishing what each strike hit and whether civilians were harmed will require more evidence. The Houthis’ account of the operation is distinct from the coalition’s.

Why Bab el-Mandeb matters

Government-aligned forces and the Houthis are contesting territory near Bab el-Mandeb, the narrow passage between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It is a vital route for commercial shipping. A Saudi statement at the UN Security Council on Friday linked the kingdom’s security concerns to threats against navigation, according to Arab News. The statement and the coalition’s target count should be read as attributed positions, not an independent battlefield assessment.

Civilian consequences

The escalation follows Houthi-claimed attacks on Riyadh airport. Saudi aviation authorities said three Saudi citizens died in Thursday’s attacks, AP reported. Saturday’s renewed strikes and claims require separate verification; no casualty total for the coalition operation is established in the sources reviewed. The lead photograph shows a Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SA at an air show in Britain in 2024, not combat over Yemen.