Saudi Arabia intercepts missile fired by Houthis in Yemen

Another missile fired towards the kingdom landed in the desert

The spokesman of a Saudi-led military coalition Turki Al Malki gives a press conference at the Armed Forces club in Riyadh on March 26, 2018. Fayez Nureldine / AFP

Saudi Arabia’s air defence intercepted on Saturday a ballistic missiles fired by the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

A spokesman for the Arab coalition — fighting the Iran-backed militia in Yemen on behalf of the internationally-recognised government — said that another missile was fired towards Saudi Arabia and landed in the desert.

“The ballistic missile was intercepted at exactly 6.14pm Riyadh time,” Col Turki Al Malki said in a statement.

"The Saudi Royal Air Defence Forces spotted another missile that landed in an uninhabited desert.

“Thankfully there were no reports of any damage until the time this statement was issued.”

Col Al Malki said both missiles were aimed at the Saudi city of Khamis Mushait and were targeting heavily-populated areas.

“This hostile action by the Houthi terrorist group supported by Iran proves the Iranian regime's sustained involvement in supporting the Houthis with material capabilities,” he said.

He added that it was a clear violation of UN resolutions and meant to undermine the security of the kingdom, the region and the international community.

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Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia shot down four missiles in two separate incidents. Two were headed towards the southern city of Najran and two were headed towards the capital Riyadh.

A Saudi-led coalition, which includes the UAE, intervened in the Yemen war in March 2015 to fight the rebels at the request of the legitimate government of Yemeni President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi.

The Houthis have repeatedly fired missiles at Saudi Arabia, which the United States and UN experts say are of Iranian origin, a claim Tehran denies.