The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen announced late Wednesday that it destroyed 82 Houthi military targets across four provinces in a major air operation launched in response to deadly Houthi attacks on Saudi airports. Coalition spokesman Major-General Turki al-Maliki stated that the operation targeted Houthi positions in Saada, Hodeidah, Al-Jawf, and Marib provinces, Anadolu Agency reported on Thursday, 08 Oct 2026, at 9:08 AM MYT. According to the spokesman, the targets included 11 ballistic missile storage facilities in the mountainous areas of Saada, along with command and control centers, communications systems, missile and weapons depots, and Houthi headquarters. The coalition said the operation was launched in response to Houthi attacks on two Saudi airports in Riyadh and Abha that resulted in three deaths and dozens of injuries. The coalition vowed that attacks on Saudi civilian sites "will not go unpunished." The statement noted that about 100 fighter jets were deployed to support Yemeni government forces and provide air cover around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The coalition claimed it has secured control of the airspace over the strait. Yemeni government forces, including the Giants Brigades, also claimed that 1,860 Houthis were "neutralised" during ground operations in Taiz and coastal areas. This operation occurs amid rising tensions, with Turkey confirming it is sending technical and defensive support to Saudi Arabia under the newly formed Mecca Defence Pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.