• The armed forces of Yemen’s internationally recognised government have confirmed retaking the strategic city of Mocha from the Houthis after clashes south of the Bab al-Mandeb strait.
• Turkey and Pakistan have agreed to rapidly deploy their militaries under the Mecca defence pact to bolster Saudi Arabia’s security following threats to Islam’s holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
• Saudi naval forces have launched a military operation against the Houthis in the Hodeidah governorate, according to the Saudi-led coalition.
• The Houthi military spokesperson has announced that the rebel group has targeted King Khalid airport in Riyadh and the Aramco refinery in Rabigh.

‘Too soon to tell’ if Yemeni counteroffensive will work

Sama’a Al Hamdani, an independent analyst on Yemen, says it’s too soon to tell whether the Yemeni government’s new military offensive will work, but that it was clearly weeks in the making and would likely continue for at least a few more days.

“It’s taken some time for the Yemeni government side because they were still rearranging the Yemeni armed forces after the withdrawal of the UAE from supporting the Yemeni government,” she said.

She said the Yemeni military also appears to be focusing much of its efforts on providing air cover for current and planned ground operations.

“As I understand it, in Sanaa now, it doesn’t seem that there are any ground operations yet, but it seems that the majority of operations are happening on air,” she said. “This is very different to what is happening in Taiz, of course, where there were battles for days on the ground.”

Al Hamdani said reports that Yemeni forces had taken Taiz, though, were still unconfirmed.

“It’s still very unclear what’s happening, because just a week ago there were similar announcements that came from the Yemeni government side, only to hear shortly after that the Houthis actually expanded and gained an advantage. So, this is a developing situation.”

War in Yemen entering new, potentially more dangerous phase

Yemen’s war is entering a new and potentially more dangerous phase as the balance remains in flux.

In recent weeks, the Houthis, an armed group also known as Ansar Allah, made new gains along Yemen’s western coast, including Mocha and areas around Bab al-Mandeb.

The Yemeni government army and forces loyal to it are now pushing on multiple fronts to reverse those gains, including areas along the strategic Red Sea coast.

The government forces say they have since retaken the port city of Mocha and the district of an airport near Dhubab, positions close to the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

They also say they have launched a strategic offensive towards Sanaa, the Houthi-held capital.

The battlefield claims cannot be independently verified.

In a statement, the Saudi-led coalition spokesman, Major-General Turki al-Malki, affirmed air support for the Yemeni armed forces on the ground and confirmed that 100 fighter jets participated in Operation “Dawn of Yemen” on Monday.

Pro-Houthi commentator Hussain Albukhaiti says the armed group maintains the upper hand in the conflict.

As the battle moves north to recapture coastal areas and towards Sanaa, the question is whether this offensive can change the balance of a war that has lasted more than a decade.

Control of Mocha key to next phase of fighting in Yemen

Fernando Carvajal, a former UN Security Council adviser on Yemen, said the battle for the port city of Mocha, which the armed forces of Yemen’s Saudi-backed government claim to have retaken from the Houthis, will be key to the next phase of fighting.

“This will be a vital sign for us, if the Yemeni government forces, led by the Southern Giants and other southern forces, can hold this city. Because, at the moment, when you look at the battle plan, Mocha is surrounded by Houthis from all three sides, and you have the Red Sea,” he said.

“So, we need to wait just a little bit more to see if indeed the government forces can hold this city and then use it as a staging point to take on the Houthis on other fronts.”

Carvajal said he also holds out hope Pakistan might try to mediate talks to end the conflict, but added the Houthis would only want to speak with Saudi Arabia.

“And this obviously puts the Yemeni government in a very awkward position, because they would be excluded from any negotiation, which undoubtedly would cost them concessions vis-a-vis the Houthis in the long run.”

Yemeni military offensive towards Sanaa

Timothy Lenderking, the former US envoy to Yemen, has said a recent military offensive towards the Houthi-held capital of Sanaa by Yemen’s Saudi-backed government aims to retake territory.

“Territory is everything in Yemen. The Houthis seek essentially three things: Territory, leverage, and legitimacy,” Lenderking said.

“[The Houthis] are a very capable force,” he said, adding that the Iran-backed armed group “has not sat still for a single moment”, even when it was not fighting. “They are constantly restocking, resupplying, rebuilding, re-engineering, such that they have the most capable military force of any non-state actor in the entire Middle East. They can utilise that force both on land and in the maritime space, as we saw with their attacks on shipping [in Bab el-Mandeb].”

However, Lenderking added that the Houthis “are not invincible”, and “with better organization and more coordination on the ground with the Yemeni forces”, Saudi Arabia can overcome the regional threat.

“Saudi Arabia is trying to show that there are other international actors that oppose the [Houthi] advances and want to see Yemen stabilized, with control returning under the central government that is recognized by almost every country,” Lenderking said.

Jazan and Najran airports hit in attacks on Monday evening: Saudi Civil Aviation Authority

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport were targeted in two attacks on Monday evening, injuring three people, the country’s Civil Aviation Authority has said.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation said in a statement that “specialised teams dealt with the attacks immediately upon their occurrence”.

“The attacks resulted in three injuries of varying severity and material damage,” the statement noted.

“The injured were transported to hospital to receive the necessary medical care.”

The authority said it continues to assess the damage and take all necessary measures “to ensure the safety of passengers and airport personnel and maintain the security and safety of the Kingdom’s civil aviation system”.

Houthis won’t be able ‘to sustain the onslaught that’s coming’

The quick recapture of territory by Yemen’s internationally recognized government forces occurred because of “sophisticated” military planning ahead of the operation, a defence analyst says.

“The Houthis are still conducting war – as we’ve seen over the last few months – in a very traditional manner, and with the Saudi coalition you have a battlefield that’s evolved,” said Nawaf Obaid, senior research fellow at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London.

“What you’ve seen yesterday is just the beginning of the systematic collapse of their defenses. What we’re seeing is an evolving of the battle space that the Houthis and their Iranian advisers are not used to conducting warfare in that way.”

Obaid that the Houthi militia will not be able “to sustain the onslaught that’s coming from air, land, and sea”.

War crime video appear on social media

A video taken from inside an MRAP vehicle shows the driver is running over dead bodies and a fighter who surrenders. The video appears on Meta's Instagram and Thread, and is claimed as taken in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has US-made MRAP vehicles in its army, and are also seen in Yemen.

The latest on the battlefield

The heaviest fighting has been in southwestern Yemen, particularly along the Red Sea coast and around the strategic city of Taiz.

Forces from Yemen’s Saudi-backed government said they took control of the al-Manzara, al-Ashari, and Dhiban mountains in Haifan, south of Taiz.

Saudi military coalition spokesman Major-General Turki al-Malki said a Houthi ballistic missile site was destroyed in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, and air strikes also targeted rebel positions in Hodeidah.

Houthi attacks, meanwhile, hit two airports inside Saudi Arabia with casualties reported and damage assessments underway.

Houthis warn Saudi’s civilian infrastructure now a target as clashes intensify

According to Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesperson, Saudi Arabia’s airports are being targeted along with Aramco oil facilities.

This is in response, according to Saree, to the Saudi blockade on Yemen and as a result of the Saudi bombardment campaign that targeted Yemen over the past couple of weeks, including here in the capital Sanaa.

According to Saudi Arabian officials, fighter jets carried out hundreds of air strikes yesterday during the Saudi-backed Yemeni government’s ground offensive to try and regain areas lost in southwestern Yemen along the Red Sea coast.

As a result of the intensified Saudi air strikes, the Yemeni armed group is now intensifying its bombardment with drones and ballistic missiles on the kingdom.

Yemen’s topography was key factor in Houthis sweeping gains last month

Talha Abdulrazaq, a Middle East strategy and security affairs specialist, says that Yemen’s physical geography was a factor in Houthi successes a month ago, when they first made their major sweep across the western coastline.

“The entire topography of that area, where they launched their operations from, is very mountainous. So, it’s a very forbidding environment,” Abdulrazaq said. “There’s a lot of cover for them to conceal their movements, and it’s difficult for air power to hit them.

“When they’ve moved onto the coast, however, it’s very much flat plains leading down straight to the beaches. So it’s a totally different environment. Once you try to set up in such a position, and without fortifications, without anti-aircraft systems, without any kind of support, even from allies like Iran for example, it becomes very difficult to hold that territory,” he said.

Abdulrazaq added that it was too early to say whether or not the latest fighting was going to end in victory for the internationally recognized Yemeni government, but early indications were promising for the government.

Yemeni government forces announce operation to retake al-Waziyah district in Taiz

Yemen’s Homeland Shield Forces, a pro-government military faction, have announced a large-scale operation to recapture the al-Waziyah district in the Taiz governorate from the Houthis.

The force said the military operation was part of the “Dawn of Yemen” campaign that was announced by the chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, on Sunday.

The campaign aims to retake all remaining Houthi-held territory, including the capital Sanaa.

Houthi ‘ghost’ drone shot down in single shot west of Yemen’s Marib governorate

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government’s forces have shot down a Houthi drone west of the Marib governorate in a single shot, according to the forces and Yemeni media.

Footage circulating on Yemeni media showed the armed forces boasting about what they called the “ghost” drone being brought down, while an incapacitated device lay in the sand.

Battle for al-Waziyah intensifies, crucial for gaining control over strategic regions

The Yemeni Saudi-backed government forces are launching an operation to take over the mountainous region of al-Waziyah district that is west of Taiz, east of the city of Mocha and east of Dhubab.

These are the mountains that the Houthis took control of prior to the takeover of the city of Mocha. If the Yemeni government is serious about taking over the city of Mocha, they cannot do so unless they take over the region in the district of al-Waziyah.

This is where most of the fighting is focused now. According to government sources, they have launched a military campaign and are gaining much territory in the district of al-Waziyah.

Those reports were followed by reports by the Houthis claiming that they have launched a counteroffensive to repel the Yemeni government advance in the district of al-Waziyah. According to the Houthis, this counteroffensive was successful.

The fighting is only going to intensify, and only time will tell who is truly winning the battle on the ground.

Yemen’s government offensive against the Houthis

Yemen’s government forces are seeking to reverse Houthi gains near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, backed by heavier Saudi air strikes, US intelligence and closer coordination between ground troops and air power.

The Giants Brigades, previously trained by the United Arab Emirates and now supported by Saudi Arabia, are leading the coastal offensive. Government forces have also claimed advances in Marib and al-Jawf east of the capital, Sanaa.

Analysts say more accurate air strikes and a unified command structure have strengthened the campaign. Support from Pakistan, Turkiye and the United Kingdom could also help sustain it.

But territorial gains remain limited. The Houthis retain powerful missile and drone capabilities and continue to advance towards government-held Taiz.

Driving them out of recently captured areas is one challenge. Retaking territory they have held for years, including Sanaa and the port city of Hodeidah, will be considerably harder.

Two explosions rock areas near Aden International Airport

Two powerful explosions have rocked the southern port city of Aden near its international airport.

Claims

Saudi-led coalition destroys ballistic missile sites in Sanaa and Saada

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen has announced that it has destroyed a platform for launching ballistic missiles in the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa, as well as a storage facility for ballistic missiles inside a mountainous site containing 20 ballistic missiles in Saada, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

The Yemeni capital has been under Houthi control since 2014.

Houthis claim new attack on Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport

The Houthis say they targeted Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport in Asir province in the latest strike on civilian aviation facilities.

The ballistic missile “was precise and direct … resulting in the disruption of air traffic at the airport”, military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement on X.

“We reiterate our warning to all global airlines regarding the consequences of continuing to operate their flights in Saudi airspace, as it has become a theatre for our military operations,” he added.

There was no immediate confirmation from Riyadh.

The latest strike follows Monday night’s attacks on airports in Jazan and Najran with several injuries and damage reported.

Opposing claims over Bab al-Mandeb and Dhubab fronts in Yemen

The fighting in Yemen is mostly taking place east of the district of Dhubab, which is north of Bab al-Mandeb. That’s where the Saudi=backed Yemeni government focused most of its operations yesterday. That’s the gap that Saudi Arabia created with the air strikes.

They swept the entire area yesterday, in order to pave the way for government forces to penetrate Ansar Allah Houthi territory in the district of Dhubab, and also along the eastern side of Bab al-Mandeb.

The Yemeni government was successful in penetrating some of those areas. But according to Ansar Allah Houthi officials, that insurgency by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has been repelled, and some of those areas have been taken back by the Ansar Allah Houthi group.

However, the Saudi-backed Yemeni government maintains that they have control of Bab al-Mandab, they have control of the airport in the district of Dhubab, and they have control of most of the Red Sea coastal line in southwestern Taiz.

Yemeni government forces report ‘fierce fighting with Houthis’ in southern Taiz

Yemen’s internationally recognized government has said that its forces are inflicting “heavy losses in personnel and equipment” against the Houthis during fighting in southern Taiz.

The Taiz Axis Media Center, whose forces are aligned with the government, said troops “backed by popular resistance forces, are engaged in fierce fighting with the Houthi militia on the Al-Salw front south of Taiz”.

In a separate statement earlier today, the Yemeni government said that “airstrikes by warplanes target[ed] vehicles and gatherings of the Houthi militia in the village of Quds in the district of Al-Mawasat, south of Taiz”.

Houthis say Yemeni government forces brigade commander killed in Taiz

The Houthi media agency Saba News has reported, citing a military source, that Abdulrahman Al-Shamsani, commander of the Saudi-backed government’s 35th Armored Brigade, was killed during military operations in Yemen’s Taiz province.

Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted Houthi missile targeting Saudi Arabia’s Khamis Mushait

The Saudi-led coalition spokesman, Major-General Turki al-Malki, says the coalition forces have intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis.

He said the target of the missile was Saudi Arabia’s Khamis Mushait city.

Houthis say Yemeni government forces repelled from advancing towards Bab al-Mandeb

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree says the group has thwarted attempts by Yemeni government forces to advance towards the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

According to Saree, the Houthis – also known as Ansar Allah (Arabic for Supporters of God) – targeted the internationally recognised government forces with 10 ballistic missiles, resulting in dozens of casualties and the destruction of several vehicles.

Houthis killed six civilians in Yemen’s Taiz, Interior Ministry says

Six civilians have been killed in attacks launched by the Houthis in Yemen’s al-Mawasit and al-Misrakh districts in the southern Taiz governorate, according to the Interior Ministry.

Women and children were among four others injured in the attacks, it said.

Yemeni government forces claim tightened control over Jabal Habashi peak in Taiz

Yemen’s Homeland Shield Forces, a pro-government military faction, have said they have tightened control over Jabal Habashi’s highest peak in the Taiz governorate as part of the “Dawn of Yemen” operation to regain Houthi-held territory across the country.

The Houthis advanced on several fronts, including the Jabal Habashi district, in their offensive against the Yemeni government forces in September.

Yemeni government-backed forces say they repelled Houthi attack in Dhubab district

Yemen’s government-backed Southern Giants Brigades say that they repelled a Houthi attack on their positions in the Dhubab district off the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in Taiz governorate.

In a post on X, the brigade’s media centre said it inflicted “heavy losses in personnel and equipment” on the Houthis and pushed them back.

Yemen’s government forces say they thwarted Houthi assault near Taiz

Yemen’s Saudi-backed government forces say they repelled a Houthi attack in the al-Salu district, south of Taiz.

The forces said they “neutralised” 12 Houthi fighters and wounded others.

Saudi-led coalition reports ongoing effort to ‘neutralise’ Houthi missile threats in Yemen

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen says it continues to “neutralise” the threat of ballistic and surface-to-surface missiles and to destroy their sources, the Saudi Press Agency reports.

The coalition said the sources of the Houthi missile threats are the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa, and the governorates of Saada and Amran, according to the SPA report.

CENTCOM

US navy helicopter declares emergency over the Red Sea near Saudi Arabia

A US Navy helicopter declared an emergency while flying over the Red Sea near Saudi Arabia on Monday before disappearing from publicly available flight-tracking data.

The Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk, operating under the call sign VVHR512, declared an emergency at approximately 5.20 pm ET while flying near Yanbu, a city on Saudi Arabia's western coast.

The helicopter was shown at an altitude of roughly 475 feet when the emergency was declared. Its displayed altitude subsequently dropped to zero before the aircraft disappeared from the tracking service.

The US Navy had not publicly confirmed the incident or provided information about the helicopter's crew or condition as of Monday evening.

The reason for the emergency was also not immediately known.

Some reports circulating on social media suggested the helicopter may have crashed, but there was no official confirmation of a crash.
 

CENTCOM rejects Iranian claim that US helicopter crashed in Red Sea

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has rejected Iranian state media reports of a US Navy helicopter crash in the Red Sea yesterday.

In a post on X, CENTCOM said claims of a downed Navy MH-60R helicopter after it declared an emergency are “false reports,” adding that all “military aircraft and personnel across the Middle East are safe and accounted for”.

Mecca accord

Details of Pakistan, Turkey's support of Saudi Arabia against Houthis ‘still in doubt’

Fernando Carvajal, a former UN Security Council adviser on Yemen, says it remains unclear what practical support Saudi Arabia’s allies in the Mecca defence pact, Pakistan and Turkey, will provide.

“When we analyze the statements today… from the three parties, we really need more details, because for them to say deterrence, deterrence, deterrence – this is the future,” he said.

“But what will this … Mecca pact do tomorrow morning, as the Houthis continue to escalate across the front and across the border? That is still in doubt at the moment,” he added.

Reports of a Pakistani national being killed in Yemen in a strike on an aid convoy put the focus on Islamabad’s response in particular, Carvajal said.

“We still need to see specific details from Pakistan as to what they are willing to commit in personnel and in weapons for Saudi Arabia to be able to push back the Houthis.”

Mecca accord aims to achieve stability through deterrence, says analyst

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement aims to secure stability through deterrence and regional security, a retired Pakistani major general has told Al Jazeera, adding that following Monday’s meeting between top officials of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, more operationalization is likely,

“You can’t achieve deterrence without having a credible mindset or a credible application,” Zahid Mahmood, who now works as a security analyst, said.

“And credibility always lies in the will to use your troops, or your military, or your diplomatic efforts, conforming to the spirit of that accord.

“We are going to see a little more operationalisation on the ground to achieve that deterrence through credibility,” he said.

Mahmood said that the tri-country alliance was extremely important, considering the prevailing uncertainty in the region.

“This alliance doesn’t have any offensive motives, or aggressive motives, to carry out war in other countries. It’s all about a defensive approach,” he said.

“We are seeing Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity, and their sovereignty being challenged by the Houthis. And once your partner country’s sovereignty is challenged, such security architectures always play a pivotal role.”

Qatar backs Mecca alliance but says ‘too early to talk about joining’

Ibrahim Sultan al-Hashmi, the Qatari Foreign Ministry media director, has said that Doha “supports Saudi measures to preserve sovereignty and security,” as the conflict with the Houthis escalates.

“We support any initiative taken by the countries of the region, including the Mecca alliance, as long as it aims to achieve stability,” he said, addressing reporters in Doha. However, he added that it is “too early to talk about the possibility of Qatar joining the Mecca alliance”.

GCC solidarity with Saudi Arabia integral to regional security

Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s internationally recognized government are playing a crucial role in safeguarding the Gulf region’s collective security, analyst Abdulla Banndar Al Etaibi has said.

If militarization of vital waterways, including the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, continues, then “we’re just giving lessons to other parties and other countries in different parts of the world to do the same,” said Al Etaibi, an assistant professor in the department of international affairs at Qatar University.

Gulf countries see the attacks by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia in two ways, according to Al Etaibi.

“First of all, Saudi is important – it’s part of the GCC. Therefore, there has to be some solidarity and support” from other Gulf countries, he said, adding that “on the other hand, it’s related to the national security of the GCC as a whole.”

“We just witnessed what the Strait of Hormuz did to the global economy and regional security. Add Bab al-Mandeb to the situation, and this is going to be catastrophic for the world.”

Gulf support should not include direct military assistance, according to Al Etaibi, because the latest escalation between the government forces and the Houthis is a “Yemeni-Yemeni issue”.

Humanitarian

International community must prepare for Yemen’s unfolding humanitarian crisis

As fighting rages in Yemen and displaces more civilians, a former US diplomat says the Houthi group is incapable of dealing with the burgeoning humanitarian crisis.

“The Houthis started detaining international aid workers and Yemenis working for the international aid agencies. They remain detained and cannot do their jobs,” Timothy Lenderking, a former US envoy to Yemen, told Al Jazeera.

“They cannot distribute food. They cannot monitor programs. They cannot provide essential vaccinations for children,” he added.

The situation for Yemenis is worsened by “the global trend to cut back on foreign assistance – to shut out refugees”, Lenderking noted.

When the ongoing fighting pauses, “the Yemeni government must come in strong with a game plan for aiding the Yemeni people [because] there will be destruction, unfortunately, and civilian casualties in addition to great displacement.

“The international community will need to help respond to the challenge.”

France to provide additional $3.36m for ‘humanitarian shock’ in Yemen

France has pledged an additional 3m euros ($3.36m) to support Yemen following the internal displacement of nearly 200,000 people.

“The Houthi offensive in the ‌Bab al-Mandeb strait has triggered a new humanitarian shock,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told a group of humanitarian organisations in Paris.

“In response to ⁠this tragedy, I ⁠have decided to allocate an additional 3m euros in support, bringing ⁠our total aid to the Yemeni population ⁠to more than ⁠7m euros in 2026,” he said.

As of September 30, the latest escalations had forcibly displaced at least 197,906 people, according to Yemen’s Executive Unit for the Management of IDP Camps.

World Food Program responds to release of detained worker

The World Food Program (WFP) has welcomed the release of one of its staff members detained by Yemen’s Houthis, according to a statement released on Monday.

“We stand in solidarity with the 72 UN personnel and five former UN personnel, including WFP colleagues, who remain detained in Yemen, and will continue to pursue every possible avenue to secure their immediate and safe release,” the WFP statement said.

At least 38 WFP staff members are held in Yemen, according to UN figures.

More than 130,000 internally displaced in Yemen since August: UNHCR

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has said more than 130,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen since the beginning of August, as a result of the latest escalation between the internationally recognised government forces and the Houthis.

UNHCR added in a report published on Tuesday that nearly 3,700 people have fled fighting in Yemen for Djibouti since September 10.

In a report published on Sunday, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) recorded 959 deaths and 4,207 wounded across Yemen in a reporting period from August 6 to October 2.

The WHO report also stated that cholera cases have tripled in three weeks, with 94 percent of recent cases recorded in the five governorates hosting most displaced families, including Taiz, Ahen and Abyan.

Misleading politics

GCC chief slams ‘unacceptable’ attacks on Saudi airports

The head of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has condemned two attacks on Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport.

In a statement on Tuesday, GCC Secretary-General Jassim al-Budaiwi said that “targeting airports and civilian facilities constitutes a dangerous escalation,” calling the “targeting of civilian and vital facilities… an unacceptable hostile approach”.

Al-Budaiwi added that the international community should take a “firm stance against these attacks” which he said had been undertaken by the Houthis.

Saudi’s Civil Aviation Authority said the attacks on Monday evening injured three people.

Kuwait denounces ‘brazen’ Houthi attacks on Saudi

Kuwait’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has condemned what it described as the Houthis’ “continued brazen and disgraceful attacks” on Saudi Arabia.

In a statement, the ministry accused the Iran-backed group of targeting “civilians and civilian and economic facilities”.

“The ministry affirms the State of Kuwait’s categorical rejection of the repetition of these hostile and cowardly acts,” which represent a “flagrant violation” of sovereignty and international law, it said.

Jordan expresses ‘absolute solidarity’ with Saudi after airport attacks

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has spoken with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud following the latest Houthi strikes.

During the call, Safadi “affirmed Jordan’s absolute solidarity with Saudi Arabia in confronting the Houthi aggressions, and its absolute support for all measures it takes to protect its security, stability, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens”, a Jordanian ministry readout said.

Safadi also expressed Amman’s “support for the Yemeni legitimacy” before the duo discussed efforts to “end the dangerous escalation the region”.

Casualties and damage were reported at airports in Saudi Arabia’s Jizan and Najran cities after Houthi attacks overnight.

Qatar backs ‘Saudi measures to preserve security’ including Mecca Alliance

Ibrahim Sultan Al-Hashmi, the Qatari foreign ministry media director, has said that Doha “supports Saudi measures to preserve sovereignty and security,” as the conflict with the Houthis escalates.

“We support any initiative taken by the countries of the region, including the Mecca Alliance, as long as it aims to achieve stability,” he said, addressing reporters in Doha. However, he added that it is “too early to talk about the possibility of Qatar joining the Mecca Alliance”.

Al-Hashmi added that “contacts and visits are ongoing with the aim of making progress in the talks between Washington and Tehran”.

“Qatar is open to a visit from the Iranian side to learn about the latest developments regarding the Iranian position,” he added.

EU chief condemns ‘destabilising’ Houthi attacks on Saudi

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the EU stands with Saudi Arabia following the latest Houthi bombardment.

“These attacks keep destabilizing the region, igniting further violence, and undermining global energy security,” she wrote on X. “We stand in solidarity with Saudi Arabia and our Gulf partners.”

Regional security “will be at the heart” of meetings between EU and Gulf Cooperation Council leaders scheduled for October 24 in the kingdom, von der Leyen added.

Arab League condemns attacks on Saudi Arabia airports

The League of Arab States has denounced what is said were Houthi attacks on two airports in Saudi Arabia.

In a statement on X, the league condemned the attacks on the airports near the Yemeni border – King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International in Jazan and Najran – adding that putting travelers and staff in danger was a clear violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty.

The league, consisting of 22 members across the Middle East and North Africa, also reaffirmed their support for the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

Saudi cabinet reaffirms support for Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council

The Saudi cabinet has issued a statement, reiterating support for the Presidential Leadership Council and the Yemeni people “to end the coup” and “restore the state and its institutions from the terrorist Houthi militia”, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

It accused Houthi forces of choosing military escalation as an alternative to peace and of deepening humanitarian suffering as a result.

Houthi forces continue to “threaten the region and navigation in the southern Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb strait”, the cabinet added.

Yemeni PM says restoration of state services inseparable from securing maritime navigation in Red Sea

Yemeni Prime Minister Shaya Mohsen al-Zindani has said the Saudi-backed government is prepared to support progress made by its forces during the “Dawn of Yemen” operation, which aims to recapture Houthi-held territory across the country, according to the state news agency Saba.

In a meeting with military leaders from the government forces, al-Zindani said restoration of state services is inseparable from securing international maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

The prime minister said the government must intensify efforts to mobilize support for the military campaign during a meeting with the foreign and interior ministers.

Saba reported that the prime minister instructed Yemen’s Ministry of Interior to bolster security for regions under the government’s control.

Al-Zindani also reportedly directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to boost diplomatic efforts to explain the objectives of the Dawn of Yemen operation, including the protection of maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb strait, and mobilize international support.

Kuwaiti cabinet condemns Houthi attacks on Mecca and Medina

The Kuwaiti cabinet has strongly condemned Houthi attacks against Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, according to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

The cabinet affirmed that the attacks “constitute a provocation to the feelings of Muslims around the world and a dangerous escalation in violating the sanctity of Islamic holy sites”.

Yemen Foreign Ministry condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi airports

Yemen’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned recent Houthi attacks that targeted airports in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan and Najran, as well as threats on Medina and Mecca, according to the state-run Saba news agency.

The ministry expressed solidarity with the kingdom emphasising its right to defend itself.

The statement also rejected “the use of Yemen’s land, airspace, and coasts to threaten its brothers and international navigation”, and stressed that said actions were not representative of the Yemeni people.