Saudi downs ballistic missile fired at Najran

Riyadh : Saudi Arabia’s air defences yesterday intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemeni militias at populated areas in the Kingdom, days after the insurgents’ second-in-command was killed in an air raid by Riyadh and its allies.

Spokesman of the coalition forces to support the legitimacy of Yemen, Col. Turki Al-Maliki said the missile was heading towards civilian and populated areas in the Najran city. 

He said coalition forces successfully intercepted the missile, which resulted in the spraying of missile fragments over residential areas. 

No injuries or damages were reported. 

The origin of the missile, Al-Maliki said, was identified as Yemeni territories (North of Imran). 

Coalition air defence forces detected the ballistic missile launched by Iran-backed Houthi militias at 12:46 pm.  

“The missile was directed towards Najran city in a deliberate attempt to target civilian areas,” Al Maliki said, adding that the air defence forces destroyed it. 

Calling the incident “a hostile act”, Al Maliki said that it proved the continued involvement of the Iranian regime in supporting the Houthi armed militias with qualitative capabilities. 

“This is a clear act of defiance of the UN resolutions 2216 and 2231 to threaten the security of Saudi Arabia, the regional and international security,” Col. Al-Maliki stressed. 

The missile attack, the latest in a series of similar attacks, occurred as the militants are to hold a public funeral for Sammad in Sanaa on Saturday. The group said it had elected Mahdi al-Mashat as Sammad’s successor.

Riyadh on Wednesday confirmed it was behind an air strike on the Yemeni capital that killed Saleh al-Sammad, president of the Huthis’ Supreme Political Council, on April 19.

Saudi Arabia launched a military coalition in 2015 to battle the Al Huthis in its southern neighbour and restore the internationally-recognised Yemeni government to power. Since then, the coalition has gained back more than 86pc of the Yemeni territory.

Saudi Arabia and the US have accused Iran of illegally smuggling weapons into Yemen to sustain Al Houthi war efforts.

In a recent meeting with New York Times editors, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman said that Al Houthis have become increasingly isolated politically.

He dismissed the seven missiles Al Houthis fired at Saudi Arabia from Yemen on March 25 as “a last-ditch effort” that only showed they were weak.

Saudi Arabia, he said, is now seeking to end the war through a political process.