Yemen Conflict Escalates: Houthis Deny Mecca Attack Amidst Rising Casualties

Fighting has intensified in Yemen as Houthi forces deny Saudi Arabia's claims of targeting the holy city of Mecca, while casualties in the ongoing conflict between the internationally recognized government and the Iran-allied Houthis continue to rise. A Houthi spokesperson dismissed Saudi accusations as "lies," asserting that a drone was directed at a pumping station in Yanbu on the Red Sea, and three cruise missiles were launched at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. This statement followed an announcement by the Saudi-led coalition forces that they had intercepted three cruise missiles aimed at Riyadh, as well as drones targeting Mecca and Saudi Arabia's southern regions. Debris from intercepted ballistic missiles reportedly fell in the village of Sabuhah in Mecca province, which Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence Authority condemned as a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law."

The suspected Houthi missile strikes in Saudi Arabia occurred as combat escalated within Yemen. According to Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili, spokesperson for the Yemeni army, at least 138 Houthi fighters were killed or wounded in hundreds of targeted attacks. Al-Nuzaili stated that the Saudi-backed army conducted numerous artillery, drone, and rocket attacks across al-Jawf, Marib, al-Bayda, and Taiz governorates, while Saudi-led coalition forces carried out air strikes, damaging military vehicles and heavy weapons.

Despite these reported successes, the Saudi-backed forces have been unable to prevent Houthi attacks on the al-Buraiqa district in Aden, where the internationally recognized government is based. Salem al-Awalqi, the Minister of Information, denounced the Houthi shelling of Aden as a deliberate targeting of civilians, vowing that such assaults would strengthen the resolve of Aden's residents. Conversely, Yemen's Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, claimed responsibility for successfully targeting a Saudi coalition command and control center in al-Buraiqa with ballistic missiles, identifying it as the facility responsible for directing Saudi military reinforcements.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports a sharp increase in casualties, with 11,755 recorded as of November 8, including 2,098 deaths and 9,657 wounded. The WHO noted over 2,000 casualties in a single nine-day period, with Marib and Lahij being severely affected. The conflict has also displaced over 320,000 people since August 1, with nearly 16,000 fleeing their homes in the past week. The WHO highlighted that strikes have impacted health facilities and ambulances, and critical fuel shortages are hampering emergency medical services in Taiz. Despite aid deliveries and a vaccination campaign, significant gaps persist in trauma care, rehabilitation, and mental health services.