Arab Coalition Refutes Houthi Allegations Regarding Saada Prison

Brigadier General Turki al-Malki, Asharq Al-Awsat
Brigadier General Turki al-Malki, Asharq Al-Awsat
TT
20

Arab Coalition Refutes Houthi Allegations Regarding Saada Prison

Brigadier General Turki al-Malki, Asharq Al-Awsat
Brigadier General Turki al-Malki, Asharq Al-Awsat

The Saudi-led Arab Coalition will meet on Tuesday with the UN and Red Cross to examine Houthi claims that it targeted a detention center in the Yemeni province of Saada with air strikes.

The Coalition clarified that it had officially invited both the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen and the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit it.

It also reaffirmed its commitment to the principles of international humanitarian law and its customary rules in military operations.

Earlier, Coalition spokesperson Brigadier General Turki al-Malki had confirmed that no prison was targeted in Saada and pointed out that the allegations spread by Houthis were misleading and aimed to chiefly garner the sympathy of UN organizations and international NGOs.

“The Coalition will inform the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen (OCHA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on the facts and details,” said al-Malki.

There are four reported locations identified as prisons in the Joint Forces Command’s No Strike List (NSL) in Saada city. These are being used by the “terrorist Houthi militia,” to launch cross-border attacks to target civilians and civilian installations, SPA reported.

“The closest prison is located 1.8 kilometers away from the alleged location,” clarified al-Malki in the statement, adding that the reports shared by the Iran-backed Houthis are part of a “blatant attempt to mislead the public opinion regarding the true nature of the location in an attempt to garner sympathy from UN organizations and INGOs.”

An investigation launched by the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) on the alleged targeted prison strike by the Coalition has revealed the location to be a “Special Security Camp in Saada, which is a legitimate military target.”



Saudi Arabia Rejects Israel’s Plan to Capture Gaza 

A Palestinian man reacts following an Israeli strike that hit Gaza City's Thai restaurant and its vicinity on May 7, 2025. (AFP)
A Palestinian man reacts following an Israeli strike that hit Gaza City's Thai restaurant and its vicinity on May 7, 2025. (AFP)
TT
20

Saudi Arabia Rejects Israel’s Plan to Capture Gaza 

A Palestinian man reacts following an Israeli strike that hit Gaza City's Thai restaurant and its vicinity on May 7, 2025. (AFP)
A Palestinian man reacts following an Israeli strike that hit Gaza City's Thai restaurant and its vicinity on May 7, 2025. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia expressed on Wednesday its categorical rejection of Israel’s plan to seize control of the Gaza Strip, slamming its ongoing violation of international law and international humanitarian law.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to expand settlements in Palestinian territories, stressing that Israeli authorities must abide by international resolutions.

It reiterated the Kingdom’s support for the Palestinian cause in line with international resolutions. It renewed its backing of the 2002 Arab peace initiative and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state according to the 1967 border with east Jerusalem as its capital.

Israel has approved a plan to intensify its operations in Gaza, which would include seizing the enclave, holding on to captured territories, forcibly displacing Palestinians to southern Gaza and taking control of aid distribution along with private security companies.

Israel is also calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers to carry out the plan. Israel says the plan will be gradual and will not be implemented until after US President Donald Trump wraps up his visit to the region later this month.