Medina: The Iran-backed Houthis attacked a power distribution station in Medina that supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Saudi Arabia has claimed.
This allegation came even as fighting intensified between the Yemen-based rebels and the Saudi-led coalition.
The attack damaged one transformer at the station but did not affect the power network, the coalition said. The Houthis, however, denied carrying out the attack, saying the Saudi claim was a lie to cover up the kingdom’s failure to back up its earlier claims that they had targeted Mecca.
The accusation came after a fresh exchange of attacks between the Houthis and Saudi-led forces. The Houthis reported Saudi airstrikes on Yemen’s capital Sanaa and other areas, while a military spokesperson for Yemen’s internationally recognised government said coalition forces had struck what he described as “high-value targets” in Sanaa. Saudi Arabia did not confirm the reported strikes.
An examination of drone wreckage recovered after Tuesday’s attack showed that the Houthis had planned and struck the Medina power station, the coalition claimed. It also accused the group of repeatedly attempting to target Mecca and Medina.
Two weeks ago, Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the holy city. The coalition said it was the second such attempt since 2017. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca or any other Islamic holy site, as reported by The Indian Express.
It had also intercepted a ballistic missile launched towards Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia, the coalition said. No casualties or damage were reported.
The latest escalation is the most serious fighting between Saudi-Houthi after a UN-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022. The Houthis resumed attacks this year after declaring a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in July and stepping up attacks on Saudi territory and shipping.
The Saudis responded with airstrikes in Yemen while backing forces aligned with the internationally recognised government.
Officials said on Friday that the Houthis fired several ballistic missiles and drones at the headquarters of the coalition command in Aden.