Coalition strikes presidential office in Houthi-held capital

Sanaa : An air strike targeted the office of the presidency in Yemen’s rebel-held capital Sanaa yesterday.

The strike came hours after Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis that targeted the south of the kingdom, coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki said.

He said the rockets were launched from northern Yemen toward “populated areas” of Saudi Arabia, but were intercepted overnight without any casualties or damage.

“This hostile act... proves the continued involvement of the Iranian regime in supporting the Huthi militia with qualitative capabilities,” Malki added. Since November of last year, the Iran-backed insurgents have intensified missile attacks into neighboring Saudi Arabia. Colonel Al Maliki said that the two missiles shot down on Monday were en route to the city of Najran where they would have targeted civilian areas. Saudi Royal Air Defense forces intercepted both missiles, causing fragments of the projectiles to fall on residential neighbourhoods. No injuries or damage have been reported.

Al Maliki said this latest attack pointed to Iran’s continuing role in supporting the Houthis with weapons. “It’s a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions 2216 and 2231,” said the spokesman of the Arab coalition, referring to UN’s demands to end violence in Yemen and for Iran to stop supplying the Houthis with missiles. “The firing of missiles at populated cities and villages is contrary to international humanitarian law.”

The Saudi-led coalition launched a military intervention in Yemen in 2015 with the goal of rolling back the Houthis and restoring the internationally-recognized government to power.