Saudi-Led Coalition Says Six Ballistic Missiles Targeting Saudi Arabia Were Intercepted

Six ballistic missiles targeting Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port city of Yanbu and the southwestern city of Taif were intercepted, according to the Saudi-led coalition. A Saudi military spokesperson blamed Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen for the launches.

Saudi Brig. Gen. Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis, said the missiles were intercepted before they could strike their intended targets. Saudi civil defense authorities had earlier issued alerts in several areas but later said the immediate danger had passed.

The Houthis later claimed they had launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia’s southwestern Jazan province. In recent days, the group has also been blamed for attempted attacks against Saudi territory, including an attempted strike on the capital, Riyadh.

The renewed fighting around the Red Sea’s crucial shipping corridor has raised concerns in international markets. The Houthis have sought to impose a blockade on Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, while receiving support from Iran, according to AP.

The latest launches came as Yemen’s internationally recognized government prepared to address the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.

Yemen’s security situation has deteriorated after several years of relative calm. Fighting involving forces backed by regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia has raised concerns that the Arab world’s poorest country could once again descend into a broader civil war.

More than 125,000 people have fled the recent fighting, according to AP, as the country’s humanitarian crisis continues to worsen.

Saudi Arabia has sought military support from its allies amid the escalating attacks. The United States, however, has said it has been in contact with the Houthis and indicated that it is staying out of the current fighting.

The Houthis have said they are targeting Saudi Arabia and that commercial shipping in the Red Sea otherwise faces no threat. However, the group has warned other countries against intervening in the conflict.

Source : The associate press