Saudi forces shoot down 7 Houthi missiles; one expat killed in attack
AMN / RAIYADH
One expat was killed and two others injured in a ballistic missile attack launched from Yemen over Riyadh in Saudi Arabia by Houthi rebels, Saudi civil defence said.
The spokesman of Riyadh civil defence said in a statement, “A missile’s shrapnel fell on a residential house in Riyadh, which led to the death of one person and injury of two others. They are all from Egypt.”
Saudi Arabian state television said that the Houthis fired two missiles toward the country late Sunday and the Saudi air defence forces succeeded in intercepting one over Riyadh, and another over Jazan in the Saudi Arabian border with Yemen.
According to Arab News, Saudi air defenses intercepted seven ballistic missiles fired by Houthi militia in Yemen toward various targets in Saudi Arabia on Sunday night, the Arab Coalition helping Yemen’s legitimate government said.
Three of the missiles were fired toward Riyadh, two toward Jazan, and one each toward Khamis Mushayt and Najran, Saudi state news channel Al Ekhbariya quoted a coalition spokesman as saying.
The United States strongly condemns the dangerous Houthi missile attacks aimed at several cities in Saudi Arabia Sunday night. “Our condolences go out to the families of any who were killed or injured. We support the right of our Saudi partners to defend their borders against these threats. We continue to call on all parties, including the Houthis, to return to political negotiations and move toward ending the war in Yemen”, US state department said in statemet.
Missiles were targeted at residential areas and one Egyptian civilian worker was killed and two were injured, said the news channel. It did not mention which place the casualties were based.
Witnesses reported loud explosions and bright flashes in the sky in Riyadh, apparently caused by missiles being shot down.
Since November, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militias have fired multiple missiles into Saudi Arabia, all of which Saudi forces had successfully intercepted without causing any damages to lives or properties.
The Houthis launched a missile at Riyadh on Nov. 4, targeting King Khalid International Airport. Royal Saudi Air Defense forces intercepted the missile and shot it down, and there was no damage.
A UN Security Council-appointed panel confirmed the missile was manufactured in Iran, along with three other missiles fired from Yemen toward the Kingdom this year.