RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aerial defense system intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Houthi militia from rebel-held territory in Yemen Saturday.
A Saudi-led coalition statement published by the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the ballistic missile had been fired from the northern Yemeni province of Saada towards the southern Saudi city of Najran. No casualties were reported.
Coalition spokesperson, Col. Turki al-Maliki, said that at exactly 12:52 p.m. the coalition's air defense forces spotted the missile launched by the Iranian backed militant group, where it was intercepted and destroyed.
Al-Maliki said that the missile was deliberately launched to target civilian and populated areas.
The spokesperson added that "this hostile action by the Houthi militia proves the Iranian regime's continued involvement in supporting the rebels with qualitative capabilities in clear and explicit defiance of UN resolution 2216 and 2231 aimed at safeguarding Saudi Arabia's security and any regional and international threats.
Al-Maliki also stressed that the firing of ballistic missiles towards densely populated cities and villages is contrary to international and humanitarian law.
Last week, the Saudi-led coalition announced that Saudi air defense forces had intercepted another ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards the southwestern Saudi port city of Jazan from within Yemeni territory.
Earlier this month a five-year-old child was wounded when the rebels fired another rocket on Jazan province.