The facts
On Saturday Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree posted on X that the group carried out a “military operation with ballistic missiles and drones” targeting an Aramco facility in Riyadh, saying the strikes were precise and caused fires. A large plume of smoke and fire was observed near the site. Saudi‑led coalition spokesman Turki al‑Maliki later described the Houthi claim as “misleading.” Early on Sunday the coalition said its armed forces carried out 97 “precise targeting operations” against Houthi reinforcements on the Tor al‑Baha front and the Taiz axis, using warplanes, drones, artillery, missiles and snipers. Colonel Majed Abdullah al‑Nazili, spokesman for Yemen’s government forces, said the attacks targeted at least 260 Houthi fighters and destroyed or disabled 44 military vehicles. The coalition also noted earlier Houthi claims of attacks on Aramco facilities in Yanbu and a power station in Medina, which Saudi authorities said were intercepted or caused no damage. Fighting has intensified since a fragile 2022 truce collapsed in July, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
Our take
Alright, buckle up, because the weekend’s fireworks are nothing more than a smoke‑and‑mirrors circus. The Houthis, that rag‑tag militia that seized Sanaa a decade ago, decided to brag about a “precise” missile‑drone strike on an Aramco plant in Riyadh. Their spokesman, Yahya Saree, posted a grainy video of a plume of smoke and called it a victory. The Saudi‑led coalition, which actually has the firepower to hit back, called the claim “misleading” – diplomatic speak for you’re full of crap. Then they rolled out the real show: 97 coordinated operations that knocked out 44 Houthi vehicles and targeted roughly 260 fighters across the Tor al‑Baha and Taiz fronts. That’s not a PR stunt; that’s a battlefield reality check. The Houthis have a habit of inflating minor skirmishes into grandiose headlines – remember their earlier boasts about Yanbu and a Medina power station, both of which Saudi forces said were intercepted or caused no damage. It’s a classic pattern: get pummeled, post a blurry video of smoke, and pretend they’ve turned the tide. The coalition’s response is a blunt reminder that the Houthis are punching above their weight, and the only thing they’re actually setting ablaze is their own credibility. Holy fucking shit, the drama is exhausting. The truce that collapsed in July has only deepened the chaos, and while the Houthis cling to any shred of propaganda, the coalition is busy actually degrading their combat capability. In this theater of lies, the only thing that’s clear is that the Houthis are the clowns, the coalition the heavy‑hitters, and the smoke they brag about is just a pathetic puff that disappears in the desert wind.
