RIYADH: Royal Saudi Arabia Air Defense forces intercepted a ballisticmissile over the southern province of Najran, bordering Yemen, on Thursday,Arab News has reported.
Yemen’s Shiite rebels say they fired the missile targeting a special forcescamp and a facility for helicopter gunships in the Saudi border province ofNajran.
The media arm of the rebels, known as the Houthis, said Thursday’sprojectile was a Qaher 2-M ballistic missile.
The Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Colonel Al-Maliki confirmed that themissile had been fired in the direction of the city of Najran and wasdeliberately launched to target civilian and populated areas, before beingintercepted. Al-Maliki also stated that there had been no loss of life orcasualties in the incident.It is the latest act of aggression on the border.
Last month, Houthi militias fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh, targetingAl-Yamamah Royal Palace in the Saudi capital.
While in November, militias launched a missile targeting King KhalidInternational Airport.
Saudi air defense intercepted the missile and shot it down without causingany damage.
Houthi aggression toward Saudi Arabia has increased in recent months andhas caused a global outcry with a number of countries and organizationscondemning the launch of ballistic missiles targeting the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Houthi militias have threatened to cut off Red Sea shippingroutes, with Yemeni minister Abdul-Raqib Fat’h calling it a “flagrant”challenge to the rule of law.Saudi-led coalition forces and their Yemeni allies last year regainedcontrol of several strategic ports, waging an assault against the Houthis.
The Saudi Navy has also engaged in numerous mine-sweeping missions onYemeni shores, amid warnings over explosives planted by the militias.