Houthi Forces and Saudi Arabia Continue Mutual Attacks, Multiple Airlines Announce Flight Suspensions

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 13 - According to reports from Xinhua's foreign correspondents: The Houthi armed forces in Yemen and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition continued mutual attacks on October 12. The coalition claimed to have intercepted multiple ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis. On the same day, the Houthis stated that Saudi Arabia had carried out 119 airstrikes on various locations in Yemen over the past 24 hours, resulting in damage to civilian facilities and casualties among civilians. On the same day, several airlines announced the suspension of flights to Riyadh.

On the evening of October 12, multiple explosions were heard in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, Turki al-Maliki, stated on social media that the coalition intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi armed forces towards Riyadh that day. Shortly thereafter, al-Maliki also mentioned on social media that the coalition intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree stated on social media on October 12 that the organization had successfully hit the target with missiles launched at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that evening, and also used drones to attack the King Khalid Air Base located in Khamis Mushait, southwestern Saudi Arabia, with the drones also hitting their targets.

Saree again warned international airlines, aviation personnel, and travelers not to use airports and airspace within Saudi Arabia, stating that all Saudi airports, except for those in Mecca and Medina, are "unsafe."

The General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia issued a statement on social media on October 12, saying it would continue to suspend operations at King Khalid International Airport in the capital, Riyadh, to complete necessary verification work.

On the same day, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, announced that it would cancel all flights to and from Riyadh until next week, while also suspending flights to Dammam and Jeddah. Gulf Air, the national airline of Bahrain, also stated that it would cancel all flights to Riyadh until the 17th. Qatar Airways announced that due to the intensified attacks by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia, and in light of the "current situation," it had suspended flights to and from Riyadh and Dammam.

On the same day, Saree stated in another announcement that over the past 24 hours, Saudi Arabia had launched 119 airstrikes and missile attacks on the Yemeni capital Sana'a and the provinces of Al-Jawf, Taiz, Saada, and Marib. The statement indicated that F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets took off from Saudi air bases in Khamis Mushait and Taif to conduct airstrikes, while missiles were launched from the directions of Najran and Jazan in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi attacks resulted in the destruction of civilian facilities and casualties among civilians, including women and children.

The statement also noted that since the escalation of this round of conflict, Saudi Arabia has conducted a total of 2,177 airstrikes and missile attacks on Yemen.

According to reports from the Houthi-controlled Masirah TV, Saudi warplanes conducted airstrikes on October 12 in Al-Jawf province in northern Yemen, targeting a government office facility and a residential building in the Haibashaf area near the Saudi border in the northern part of the province, resulting in nine deaths, including five children and one woman.

Local residents in Yemen told Xinhua reporters that the Houthi-controlled capital, Sana'a, was subjected to continuous attacks late at night on October 12, with intense explosions heard in multiple areas of the city. The specific targets of the attacks remain unclear, and there are currently no reports of casualties or property damage.

In light of U.S. President Trump's claim that the U.S. may join Saudi Arabia in its actions against the Houthis, Mohammed Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political bureau, warned on October 12 that if the U.S. intervenes in the conflict, the U.S. and its interests in the Middle East will face a "swift and painful response."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh reiterated at a regular press conference in the capital Tehran on October 12 that Iran is willing to play a mediating role to assist in promoting dialogue between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. He emphasized that due to the actions of the U.S. and Israel, the region is already filled with tension, and Iran absolutely does not support the continuation of conflict and war between the two Muslim countries.