Yemen's Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi on Wednesday called on Türkiye and Pakistan not to be drawn into Yemen's conflict alongside Saudi Arabia, as fighting intensifies and Riyadh strengthens defense cooperation with the two countries.
In a televised speech broadcast by Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV, al-Houthi praised voices in Türkiye and Pakistan that he said opposed any potential move to draw their countries into Saudi Arabia's military campaign in Yemen.
He highly appreciated the voices in Türkiye and Pakistan that reject being dragged into the aggression against Yemen, he said, without specifying particular groups or officials in either country.
Al-Houthi also accused Saudi Arabia of escalating military operations despite previous de-escalation efforts.
He said that negotiations with Saudi Arabia had reached a dead end, declaring that "neither negotiations nor other efforts have worked," while accusing Saudi of maintaining restrictions on "Yemen's airports, imports and economic resources."
The Houthis' remarks came as Saudi Arabia has stepped up defense coordination with Pakistan and Türkiye. The two countries said Monday that they will provide military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia in accordance with their commitments under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement.
Yemen's conflict began in late 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government, now based in Aden.
The fighting between Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces has intensified lately, particularly near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. Saudi forces have stepped up air operations, while the Houthis have increased missile and drone strikes inside Saudi Arabia.
Houthi leader urges Türkiye, Pakistan to stay out of Yemen conflict
Yemen's Houthi group said Wednesday that Saudi forces had carried out 156 air and missile strikes on the Houthi-held capital Sanaa and five other provinces, as the group reported fresh fighting with government forces in Yemen's northern province of Al-Jawf near the Saudi border.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the Saudi strikes hit areas in Sanaa and the provinces of Taiz, Saada, Al-Jawf, Marib and Amran, claiming that civilian sites were among the targets but provided no details.
According to Sarea, the latest attacks brought the number of Saudi air and missile strikes recorded by the group since the current escalation began to 1,798.
There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia.
Sarea also said Houthi forces had repelled an attempt by government forces to advance toward the group's positions in eastern Al-Jawf.
He said the Houthis targeted troop gatherings in Al-Jawf with ballistic missiles and drones, claiming dozens of government soldiers were killed or wounded and several military vehicles destroyed.
Also on Wednesday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said that it had launched a comprehensive operation, destroying 82 Houthi military targets across several provinces, in response to the attacks on civilians and civilian sites in the kingdom.
Coalition spokesman Turki Al Maliki said on the social media platform X that the operation hit sites in the provinces of Saada, Hodeidah, Al-Jawf and Marib.
The targets included ballistic missile-related threat sources of which there were 11 mountain-based missile storage sites in Saada, command and control centers, communication systems, missile and weapons depots, and Houthi gathering sites, Al Maliki added.
He said the operation followed the attacks on civilian objects in Saudi Arabia, most recently targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport.
Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said early Wednesday that three people were killed and 36 others were injured in the two separate attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday. Yemen's conflict began in late 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government, now based in the southern port city of Aden.
Houthis claim repelling government advance as Saudi-led coalition says 82 Houthi military targets destroyed
