The Arab Coalition intercepts missiles and drones launched by Yemen's Houthis towards Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabian-led coalition, operating in Yemen since 2015, reported on Monday that its anti-aircraft defences intercepted two ballistic missiles and six drones aimed at the kingdom, which the Saudi authorities accused the neighbouring country's Houthi rebels of doing so. In a statement released by the Saudi state agency SPA, the spokesman for the Arab military coalition Turki al-Maliki said the alliance intercepted two ballistic missiles and six explosive drones launched from the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, which were intended to "deliberately attack civilians". The spokesman did not specify where the missiles were intercepted, but said the Houthis are "intensifying their attacks on civilian targets" within the kingdom and other countries neighbouring Yemen.
So far, Yemeni Houthi rebels have not claimed responsibility for the action. However, last July 7, the Houthis threatened to attack royal palaces in Saudi Arabia as part of their missile and drone offensives against the kingdom and called on the civilian population to stay away from such facilities.
The latest alleged major action took place on March 3, when Houthis claimed to have attacked with drones arms depots at King Khaled Air Base in south-west Saudi Arabia and a control room at Najran Airport in southern Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis have been responsible for numerous missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the latest being last September when they claimed to have attacked two plants of the Saudi state oil company Aramco. The action led to the temporary suspension of 50% of the production of the world's largest oil company, although Saudi Arabia, like the United States, accused Iran of the attack. Since 2015, the Saudis have been leading the Arab military coalition that is carrying out attacks against the Houthis on Yemeni territory in order to support the government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi, whom the rebels have been fighting for power since 2014.
