The Saudi-led coalition has expanded military operations against Houthi forces across Yemen, reporting the destruction of 82 military targets as it attempts to dismantle the group’s ballistic missile infrastructure. The campaign follows renewed attacks on Saudi airports and an escalating ground offensive by Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said the strikes targeted military facilities across four Yemeni provinces: Saada, Hodeidah, Al-Jawf and Marib. Among the reported targets were 11 ballistic missile storage facilities concealed in mountainous areas of Saada, alongside command centers, communications infrastructure, weapons depots and Houthi military positions. The coalition’s claims regarding the extent of the destruction have not been independently verified.

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Coalition Expands Military Operations

The operation extends beyond missile facilities in northern Yemen. Coalition naval forces also reported destroying Houthi weapons storage sites, explosive-laden boats and naval mines in Hodeidah earlier this week. Saudi officials said the strikes disrupted preparations for attacks against commercial shipping in the southern Red Sea, particularly around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The coalition has also continued targeting ballistic missile launch systems following repeated Houthi attacks against Saudi territory. On Thursday, coalition forces reported intercepting three ballistic missiles, including two directed toward Riyadh and another toward Khamis Mushait. Military officials say they are tracking launch locations and attempting to destroy the infrastructure supporting further attacks.

The escalation follows several Houthi-claimed strikes against Saudi aviation infrastructure, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport. Saudi authorities confirmed Friday that three citizens, including a Saudia airline pilot, were killed in attacks on Riyadh’s airport and a Saudi passenger aircraft. The renewed missile campaign has disrupted commercial aviation, prompting international airlines to suspend flights and European aviation regulators to expand warnings covering Saudi airspace.

Fighting Intensifies Along Yemen’s Red Sea Coast

The coalition’s air campaign is taking place alongside an offensive by forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Government-backed formations are attempting to regain territory seized by the Houthis along the western coastline, where control of coastal positions and access routes around Bab el-Mandeb remain central objectives.

The strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is one of the principal maritime routes linking European and Asian markets. Houthi positions along the coastline provide opportunities to threaten commercial vessels using missiles, drones and other maritime weapons. Coalition operations against coastal military infrastructure are therefore closely connected to the effort to restore government control over the surrounding territory.

The intensifying campaign has also raised concerns over civilian casualties. Houthi authorities reported that coalition strikes in Sanaa injured six people, including a child, although Saudi officials have not confirmed those strikes. The renewed fighting threatens to deepen Yemen’s humanitarian crisis as military operations expand across multiple fronts.

SYNAPSE Analysis

Saudi Arabia is now targeting the infrastructure that allows the Houthis to sustain missile operations, rather than concentrating solely on launch platforms after individual attacks. The reported strikes on storage facilities in Saada, command centers and communications networks suggest a broader effort to disrupt the group’s ability to coordinate and replenish its missile forces. However, destroying known facilities does not necessarily eliminate mobile launchers, dispersed stockpiles or the networks used to move weapons between positions.

The campaign along the Red Sea coast is equally significant. Regaining territory around Bab el-Mandeb would reduce the Houthis’ access to important maritime approaches, but their ability to threaten shipping is not dependent on holding every stretch of coastline. The real measure of the coalition’s progress will be whether the Houthis can continue launching missiles into Saudi Arabia and conducting attacks against commercial vessels despite the expanding military campaign.