Houthis Claim Mass Missile and Drone Strike on Saudi King Khalid Air Base in Retaliation for Yemen Airstrikes
Yemen’s Houthis say they launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait, saying the strike was retaliation for Saudi air raids in Yemen. The group claims it hit hangars, radars, runways and ammunition depots and warns of more attacks if the bombing continues.
A claimed Houthi missile and drone barrage on a major Saudi air base underlines how quickly the Yemen war can re-escalate and draw targets deep inside Saudi territory back into the fight.
Yemen’s Houthi movement said on 14 September it launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait. The group said it aimed at aircraft hangars, radar systems, runways and ammunition depots at the base, describing the operation as a large-scale attack.
According to the Houthis, the strike was carried out in response to Saudi airstrikes in Yemen. They linked the launch to what they described as more than 300 Saudi airstrikes over five days and warned that larger attacks could follow if those raids continue.
The claims come amid wider reports of Houthi attacks across southern Saudi Arabia. Alarms have been heard in Najran, Jizan, Abha and Khamis Mushait, with Shia channels saying the Houthis have been targeting energy facilities in Najran and Jizan, Abha’s civilian airport, and military installations in Khamis Mushait.
Saudi authorities have not publicly detailed damage from the reported strikes, and there is no independent confirmation from the base itself. The Houthis, however, have openly taken responsibility for the attack on King Khalid Air Base and for what they describe as a broad wave of operations against Saudi territory.
Iran, frequently accused by Gulf governments of backing the Houthis, is publicly distancing itself. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Ansar Allah, the Houthi name for itself, and other Yemeni factions are completely independent actors that make their own decisions based on their national interests and what they see as their legitimate rights.
The exchange is unfolding as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Admiral Brad Cooper in Jeddah. Saudi reports say the talks are focused on the advances of Iran-affiliated Houthis in Yemen.
How much damage the claimed strike caused at King Khalid Air Base, whether Saudi air operations over Yemen change pace, and whether Riyadh further deepens coordination with the United States after the Jeddah meeting will determine whether this remains a sharp exchange or turns into a broader escalation.
Sources
- OSINT