Houthis declare Saudi airspace unsafe, exempting Mecca, Medina

Yemen’s Houthis have warned employees, workers and citizens to stay away from Saudi oil facilities, declaring Saudi airspace unsafe except over the cities of Mecca and Medina.

The Houthi-run Saba news agency quoted a military source as saying: “Saudi airspace is unsafe, except over Mecca and Medina.” The source added: “Those who have been warned have no excuse,” in a fresh threat amid continuing military escalation in the region.

The military source also urged shareholders in Saudi oil giant Aramco to sell their shares, saying: “To avoid losses, we advise Aramco shareholders to withdraw their shares before it is too late.” The group gave no further details about the nature of the threats or any action it might take.

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Earlier, Saudi Civil Defence said six people had been injured after a projectile struck a residential site in the city of Najran. The Saudi-led coalition also announced that it had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards Khamis Mushait in Saudi Arabia.

The developments come amid heightened security tensions and escalating clashes between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis since early October. The coalition has announced a “large-scale operation” targeting the group’s capabilities, while the Houthis have launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports and facilities.

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