The Saudi Arabian defense forces announced on Tuesday that it intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Houthi militias in Yemen. The missile was intercepted south of the capital Riyadh. No damage was reported in the incident.
Coalition spokesman Col Turki al-Maliki said that the Saudi Arabian defense forces monitored the launching of a ballistic missile from inside the Yemeni territory towards Saudi territories. The missile was targeting populated residential areas in Riyadh and was intercepted and destroyed without leading to any casualties.
In a statement, Maliki stated that the continuity of militias in targeting cities with missiles is enough proof that Iran-supported Houthis continue to use ports (originally used for humanitarian aid) in smuggling Iranian missiles to Yemen – a true violation of related UN resolutions.
Further, a Saudi official told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Saudi Arabian defense forces and the Red Crescent weren't notified about any injuries resulting from the interception of the missile.
UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash posted on his Twitter account that with every Iranian missile launched by Houthi militia against civilian targets, it becomes more urgent to launch the “Decisive Storm”.
Bahrain, Afghanistan, UAE, Morocco, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan and the Arab League as well as ambassadors of G18 denounced the Houthi act.
Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh stated Tuesday to Asharq Al-Awsat that launching the ballistic missile is considered an aggression from a group that has killed people in Yemen.
Moreover, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, during a press conference, said that these arms were manufactured by Iran and dispatched to Houthis.
