RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday shot down a bomb-laden drone deployed byrebels in neighbouring Yemen to attack an airport in the kingdom, theRiyadh-led coalition fighting on the side of Yemen’s government said.
“An explosive-laden drone sent by the terrorist Houthi militia to targetNajran airport” was intercepted and destroyed by the Saudi air force,coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki was quoted by state media assaying.
The Yemeni rebels’ *Al-Masirah TV*said the attack — the third againstNajran airport in 72 hours — had targeted a Patriot air defence system.Maliki said “the rebels attacked a civilian airport” and warned of a“response”.
An armed drone sent on Tuesday had hit a weapons depot at the same airport,setting off a blaze, according to *Al-Masirah*.
Maliki said on Tuesday that the rebels attacked a “civilian installation”in Najran province bordering Yemen with an explosives-laden drone, but didnot report casualties.
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The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to push back anadvance by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who continue to hold the capitalSanaa, and to restore to power President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.
Since then, the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, many ofthem civilians, relief agencies say. -APP/AFP
