Saudi Arabia Intercepts Ballistic Missile Over Riyadh on 3rd Anniversary of Yemen Campaign, One Killed

Riyadh, Mar 26: Saudi Arabia on Monday said its forces intercepted a ballistic missile over the capital Riyadh on Sunday. The attack coincides with the third anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition�

Riyadh, Mar 26: Saudi Arabia on Monday said its forces intercepted a ballistic missile over the capital Riyadh on Sunday. The attack coincides with the third anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition’s intervention in Yemen. One person was killed and two others were injured in the strike.

“Saudi air defence forces intercept a missile northeast of Riyadh,” Saudi state news channel Al-Akhbariya said. Authorities have not said who is behind the missile attack. However, it is suspected that the attack was made by Huthi rebel. Witnesses reported loud explosions and bright flashes in the sky.

On November 4 last year, Saudi Arabia thwarted a rebel missile attack on Riyadh international airport that Crown Prince and Defence Minister Mohammed bin Salman said “may amount to an act of war” involving Iran. Since then, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Huthi rebels have fired multiple missiles.

The Huthis expelled pro-government forces from the capital in September 2014 and went on to seize swathes of the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country. This prompted the Saudi-led coalition to intervene militarily in Yemen on March 26, 2015, to help the government push back the Shiite Huthi rebels.

Since then, around 10,000 people have been killed and 53,000 wounded in Yemen, which is also battling cholera and diphtheria outbreaks. Numerous rounds of UN-sponsored peace talks have failed to stem the bloodshed in Yemen. (With agency inputs)