The Houthis this morning have just also issued a warning to travellers and airlines against using Saudi airports following yesterday’s attack. It’s the first public message from the group since Saturday’s deadly assault. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Mecca and Medina – the holiest cities in Islam - were excepted but the other Saudi airports and airspace “are exposed to targeting and constitute a theatre of operations for our forces”.
He warned the public to “take our warning seriously” and also claimed that “Saudi Arabia bears responsibility for any failed interceptions”. The Gulf state has been asking the US and other Western allies for more missile interceptors since the fighting escalated. Sahree ended his post by saying his group is pursuing: “airport for airport, siege for siege, and escalation for escalation” until they achieved their goals.
All week the Houthis have been striking the main airport in the Saudi capital as Saudi-led forces have stepped up an offensive trying to push the rebels back in Yemen. This week the Saudi-led coalition backing the Yemeni government forces launched an outright offensive on the Houthis who’ve rapidly seized and gained territory these past weeks. The Houthis have taken over islands in the Bab al- Mandab strait and also staked positions along the Red Sea, crucially seizing control of the passageway through which its enemy – Saudi Arabia, a top oil exporter - had been diverting flows as the Strait of Hormuz remains shut off.
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