The Houthi group announced this morning, Tuesday, a "widespread and qualitative offensive operation in the Saudi depth," after the Riyadh-led coalition reported the interception of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Riyadh and southern Saudi Arabia.
In a press conference in Sana'a, Houthi armed forces spokesman Yahya Saree said that the "December 7th operation" targeted military and vital targets in Riyadh, Jeddah, Taif, Jizan, Najran and Asir.
He added that they included attacks by Samad-3 drones and a number of "Zulfiqar" missiles, which targeted the Ministry of Defense, King Khalid Airport and other military targets in Riyadh.
Saree also said that among the targets were the King Fahd base and Aramco in Jeddah.
A spokesman for the Houthi armed forces had written late the night before on Twitter, "In response to the crimes of the Saudi-American aggression, the armed forces carried out a broad and qualitative offensive operation in the Saudi depth, the details of which will be revealed tomorrow morning, Tuesday, God willing."
Houthi media sources reported that the coalition warplanes targeted, with two raids, a car maintenance workshop on Al-Sitteen Street in Sana'a.
Yahya Saree, speaking at a previous press conference (Al Jazeera)
Intercept and destroy
On the other hand, the coalition said that the Saudi defenses destroyed a ballistic missile fired towards Khamis Mushait, and intercepted a drone over Yemeni airspace.
A statement issued yesterday by the coalition said that "in response to the threat, a large-scale operation was launched against the Houthi militia," adding that "the coalition's operations are in compliance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules."
The statement came minutes after a brief statement by the coalition announced the interception and destruction of a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards Riyadh, and that the interception process caused the scattering of shrapnel on some residential neighborhoods without causing damage.
The coalition also announced yesterday the interception and destruction of 7 drones launched by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia.
He added that he carried out 47 air strikes on Houthi targets in Marib.
And Saudi accounts on Twitter published scenes that they said were clips of repelling and destroying Saudi defenses for long-range missiles launched by the Ansar Allah Houthi group towards Riyadh.
A call to peace
On the other hand, a two-day Yemeni tribal forum concluded yesterday in the Jordanian capital, Amman, to discuss ways to bring peace to Yemen, in which more than 40 Yemeni tribal leaders called for an end to the fighting.
In a statement, the tribal leaders stressed the need to reopen all humanitarian roads and corridors in accordance with controls that guarantee the flow of goods, facilitate the movement of Yemenis, respect the sanctity of the road and protect the Yemeni person.
They renewed their call on all parties to immediately engage with the UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, and the peace mediators to Yemen, to present their visions for a solution, and to abide by the Riyadh and Stockholm agreements to stop the bloodshed among Yemenis.