Saudi forces intercept missile headed towards ‘civilian area’ in Jazan

Saudi Arabia’s Royal Air Defence Forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards the city of Jazan on Tuesday night, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Spokesperson of the Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting in Yemen, Colonel Turki Al Malki, said that at 6.19pm on Tuesday, Saudi forces detected the launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen headed towards Saudi Arabia.

Al Malki said that the ballistic missile was launched “deliberately” by the Houthis towards a “densely populated civilian area” of Jazan.

The missile was intercepted and destroyed by the Royal Saudi Air Defence and no injuries were reported.

“This hostile act carried out by the terrorist Iranian Houthi militia proves that the Iranian regime continues to provide the Houthi militias with advanced weapons capabilities, in flagrant defiance of UNSC Resolutions 2216 and 2231, with the main objective of threatening Saudi Arabian, regional and international security,” Al Malki said.

He reiterated that the launch of ballistic missiles towards civilian populated areas is a “direct breach of the principles of international humanitarian law”.

Al Malki also noted that Houthis have launched 179 missiles towards Saudi Arabia since the coalition entered the Yemen civil war in 2015 to support ousted President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi against the Houthis.

While the majority of the attacks have been intercepted by air defences, some attacks have also resulted in deaths, including one civilian killed in Jazan earlier this month and three civilians killed in Jazan on June 9.

Read: One killed, 11 injured in Jazan after Saudi intercepts missile fired from Yemen

Three civilians killed in missile attack in Saudi’s Jazan

Saudi Arabia as well as the US have blamed Iran for arming the Houthis, although Tehran has denied any role in the matter.

Also read: UN panel says missiles launched at Saudi show Iranian characteristics