Houthi Spokesman Denies Targeting Holy Sites After Saudi Missile Interception

OPA WIRE, Oct 25 (OPA) — Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea dismissed Saudi allegations regarding the targeting of holy sites as "great slander" in a statement posted to X on Sunday. Sarea asserted that Houthi operations are strictly limited to military bases and oil infrastructure, maintaining that the group publicly claims responsibility for its actions when they occur.

The Saudi Civil Defense reported that it intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi militia on Saturday. According to the Saudi Press Agency, debris from the intercepted projectiles fell in several locations, including Wadi al-Mughammis near the Grand Mosque, the al-Nuzha district in Jeddah, Wadi Jalil in Taif, and the Masturah center in Rabigh.

Saudi state media outlet Al-Ekhbariya broadcast footage from the site of the debris, noting that one impact point in Wadi al-Mughammis was located approximately 21 kilometers from the Grand Mosque and seven kilometers from the Arafat site. The report highlighted that the debris fell in a rural area surrounded by residential clusters, though no casualties were immediately reported by local authorities.

This incident marks a continuation of regional tensions involving Houthi cross-border attacks on Saudi infrastructure. While Saudi officials maintain that the missiles were aimed at the kingdom's most sensitive religious sites, the Houthi leadership continues to frame its military campaign as a direct response to the ongoing conflict, focusing its rhetoric on strategic economic and military targets.