Houthi missile injures five in the Saudi city of Jizan
The media spokesman for the Directorate of Civil Defense in Jazan, a city in the far southwest of Saudi Arabia, said on Tuesday that a military missile fired by the Houthis in the region had hit the city, injuring at least five people, according to the state news agency SPA.
Mohamed bin Yahya al-Ghamdi added that the missile was allegedly launched by the "Iranian-backed organisation" towards the town of Jazan, a border town 60 kilometres from Yemen, from where the missile was launched.
The missile landed on a public road and reportedly hit five civilians, including three Saudi nationals and two Yemenis. “The procedures adopted in such cases have been implemented immediately,” said al-Ghamdi. They were taken to hospital for medical care. Shrapnel also damaged two residences, a food bazaar and three civilian vehicles.
"Despite the Kingdom's continued support for Yemen, the Iranian-backed Houthi militia not only disregards such aid, but continues its brazen aggression on Saudi territories," said Saudi ambassador to the European Union Saad Mohammed Alarify. "The international community must put an end to these absurd actions," he said.
The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen has strongly condemned the terrorist Houthi militia's latest attack of launching a military projectile that fell on one of border villages in Jazan Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all measures it takes to preserve its security, stability and the safety of its citizens and residents, in a statement carried by the SPA agency.
“The US Embassy condemns last night's Houthi attack on Jazan, which injured several civilians. We call on the Houthis to stop attacking innocent civilians and to engage in the diplomatic process to end this conflict,” the US embassy in the UK said in a statement on Twitter.
The latest Houthi offensive came last Saturday, when Saudi authorities intercepted a missile attack on Riyadh and bomb-laden drones targeting the province of Jazan. In early February, Houthis also attacked an empty passenger plane at the Saudi airport in Abha with a bomb-laden drone.
Brigadier General Yahya Sare’e announced in a statement that Yemen’s Air Force along with the Missile Force successfully carried out a large and joint offensive operation deep inside Saudi Arabia. The operation, formally called “5th Operation of Balanced Deterrence,” targeted sensitive sites in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. “The 5th Operation of Balanced Deterrence came in retaliation for the kingdom’s ongoing escalating aggression and siege on our dear people,” Sare’e said.
The operation was carried out with a Zulfiqar ballistic missile and fifteen drones, including nine Sammad three targeting "sensitive locations" in the Saudi capital. As well as six Qasef 2k drones, which targeted military sites in Abha and Khamis Mushait, Sarea himself said. "The Yemeni Houthi armed forces confirm that their operations are continuing, and will expand further, as long as the aggression and siege on our country continues."
There were no casualties, although state-run Al-Ekhbariya television said fragments of the missile were scattered across several neighbourhoods in Riyadh, damaging at least one house. Brigadier General Turki al-Malki said the Houthis were trying in “a systematic and deliberate way to target civilians”.
The Iranian-backed organisation in Yemen has been stepping up its attacks on Saudi Arabia for months. Recent attacks on Saudi soil have included launches of ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones. The aim, according to the organisation's own sources, is to damage the Kingdom's airports and disable military hangars.
The Houthis have intensified their attacks on the city of Marib and its governorate in recent weeks. Analysts suggest that the Shiite militia hopes to strengthen its position in hypothetical peace negotiations if it conquers the territory. Although the northern governorate is a strategic area rich in oil and gas, it is also the last internationally recognised government stronghold in northern Yemen.
The fierce battles Marib is witnessing explain the Houthi offensives on Saudi soil. The Kingdom's army is defending and fighting the governorate against the Tehran-backed Shia militia, while the Houthis are trying to weaken Saudi Arabia's position by fomenting insecurity within its borders.
The attack on Marib also coincides with an effort by the US and the international community to resolve the Yemeni conflict diplomatically. The arrival of the Biden administration brought with it the withdrawal of the Houthis' designation as a terrorist organisation, and the US has declared an end to its support for the Saudi-led coalition.