China launches new group of internet satellite

China launched a Long March-12 carrier rocket from the southern island province of Hainan Thursday, sending a new group of internet satellites into space.

The rocket lifted off at 08:32 Beijing time (00:32 GMT) from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site.

The payloads, the 25th group of low-orbit satellites for China's space-based internet network, entered their designated orbit successfully, completing the mission.

Yemen's Houthi group said Wednesday it had launched two missile and drone attacks targeting an Aramco facility and a military air base in response to Saudi air strikes against Yemen this week.

The Houthis accused Saudi Arabia earlier Wednesday of carrying out more than 450 airstrikes across seven Yemeni provinces over the past week. In response, the group used dozens of ballistic missiles and drones to attack the Saudi Aramco facility in the western Saudi city of Yanbu, and launched several ballistic missiles to struck the airbase in Khamis Mushait air base in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Yemeni border.

The group claimed the Yanbu attack caused large fires and extensive damage, while missiles targeting Khamis Mushait accurately hit their targets. Saudi authorities and Aramco have not commented on the claims. The Houthis also said that it would continue operations against Saudi Arabia until the kingdom halts its airstrikes and lifts the blockade on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

On the same day, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement carried by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV that the group had shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over the northeastern province of Marib. He said the fighter jet was struck by a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile while conducting "hostile operations" in support of Saudi-backed Yemeni forces in Marib.

Sarea said Houthi forces subsequently fired locally made air-defense missiles at two formations of Saudi F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets that entered Marib's airspace to search for the wreckage of the downed aircraft, forcing them to retreat.

Separately, Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday evening before it entered the prohibited airspace of the holy city, the Saudi-led coalition said.

Coalition spokesman Turki Al Maliki said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims is a "red line", adding that the coalition would not hesitate to take necessary measures to deter further Houthi attacks.

An official from the Houthis rejected the allegation on Wednesday.

"The claims about targeting Mecca are a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone," Houthi official Hazem al-Assad wrote on X.