RIYADH: Arab coalition forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the Houthi militia toward Saudi Arabia on Thursday.
Spokesperson Col. Turki Al-Maliki said the missile was launched toward Khamis Mushait in the southern region from Saada governorate in Yemen.
A drone launched by the Houthis on Thursday evening that was targeting the southern region as well, was also intercepted and destroyed by coalition forces, he said in a separate statement on Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Col. Al-Maliki said the attack was a “deliberate” attempt by the Iran-backed Houthi militia to target civilians.
The spokesperson also said that coalition forces were “taking the necessary measures to neutralize and destroy the specific capabilities of the Houthi militia.”
“The planners and perpetrators of terrorist attacks will be firmly held accountable, in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules,” he said in another statement issued on SPA.
The coalition said it intercepted another booby-trapped drone launched by the Houthis toward Khamis Mushait in the early hours of the morning, calling it “a systematic and deliberate manner to target civilian objects and civilians.”
The attacks come a day after the Houthis sparked international condemnation after launching an attack on Abha airport in the southern Asir region, causing a commercial plane to catch fire.
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