Yemen front and the region
OIC condemns targeting of Mecca; army mourns 5 commanders on Taiz and Lahj fronts
Islamic condemnation widened over Houthi missile debris falling near Mecca, while the Houthis denied targeting the holy sites. On the ground, the Tur al-Baha military axis announced the deaths of 5 commanders, and Washington renewed its travel advisory for Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Summary
- ConfirmedThe Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned Houthi attacks on Mecca, Medina, Taif and Jeddah.
- ConfirmedThe government's Tur al-Baha axis mourned 5 commanders killed in clashes in southern Taiz and northern Lahj.
- ConfirmedThe US State Department kept Saudi Arabia and the UAE at Level 3: reconsider travel.
- AttributedTaiz police say they detained two suspects funded by the Houthis to target commanders.
- AttributedThe Sanaa transport ministry says 785 ships crossed Bab al-Mandab since early October.
Commanders mourned by the Tur al-Baha axis
Anadolu 20:35ZBangladeshis killed in missile attacks in Saudi Arabia in a month
The Daily Star 20:09ZShips crossing Bab al-Mandab, October 1-22, per Sanaa
20:37ZDevelopments in this window
- UnverifiedTaiz
Reports of airstrikes on Houthi positions in Ghurab and Sabr, Taiz
Al-Mashhad al-Yemeni cited field sources saying an airstrike hit Houthi vehicles in the Ghurab area northwest of Taiz. It also reported a Houthi commander and 10 escorts killed in Sabr. No official or Houthi confirmation has been issued.
Source: almashhad.news almashhad.news - ConfirmedMecca
OIC condemns Houthi attacks on Mecca and Medina
OIC Secretary-General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed condemned the attacks on Mecca, Medina, Taif and Jeddah. He said a ballistic missile targeted Wadi al-Mughammas near Arafat and called for collective Islamic action. The Houthis earlier denied targeting Mecca and Medina.
Source: alriyadh.com - AttributedBab al-Mandab
Sanaa: 785 ships crossed Bab al-Mandab since early October
The transport ministry of the unrecognised Sanaa government said 785 commercial ships crossed the strait up to October 22. It said navigation is safe except for Saudi vessels, which it has banned. The figure has not been independently confirmed.
Source: alkhabaralyemeni.net - ConfirmedTaiz and Lahj
Army mourns 5 commanders killed on Taiz and Lahj fronts
The government's Tur al-Baha military axis announced that 5 of its commanders were killed in recent days in clashes with the Houthis. They include Lt. Col. Ammar Azzam al-Banna, operations chief of the 120th Artillery Brigade. The axis covers the area from Tur al-Baha in Lahj to al-Maqatira in southern Taiz.
Source: Anadolu Agency - AttributedTaiz
Taiz police: two suspects detained over Houthi-funded plot against commanders
Taiz police announced the arrest of two suspects they say planned to target military and security commanders. Police said a Houthi supervisor in al-Hawban funded them. The account comes from government security services; the Houthis have not commented.
Source: almashhad.news - ConfirmedSaudi Arabia
Bangladesh repatriates body of worker killed by Houthi missile in Saudi Arabia
The body of Bangladeshi national Shahed Ahmed arrived in Dhaka. The state minister for foreign affairs said 3 Bangladeshis were killed in missile attacks in Saudi Arabia over the past month and that work is under way to repatriate the other two.
Source: The Daily Star - UnverifiedIstanbul
Report: Saudi, Egyptian, Turkish and Pakistani foreign ministers condemn Houthi escalation
Lahazat News reported that the four ministers met in Istanbul and condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and shipping, stressing freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. The report does not give the meeting date, and we found no official statement within the window.
Source: nl7za.com - ConfirmedSaudi Arabia and the UAE
Washington renews call to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia and the UAE
The US Embassy in Riyadh and the US Mission to the UAE published updated Level 3 travel advisories. The advisory cites an increased risk of Houthi attacks and Iranian efforts to target US officials. The warning against travel to the border area with Yemen remains in place.
Source: Anadolu Agency