Manama: Saudi Arabia’s air defence system intercepted ballistic missiles over the capital city of Riyadh and the southern border city of Jizan late on Saturday. The operation came a day after Saudi forces repelled drone attacks targeting the kingdom's southern cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait.
“Two ballistic missiles were launched towards the cities of Riyadh and Jizan,” the state run Saudi Press Agency reported, citing spokesman for the coalition fighting the Houthi rebels, Col. Turki al-Maliki.
The missile strikes happened at 11. 23 pm local time and were targeted civilian areas of the capital city, said Col. Turki al-Maliki. The air defence forces destroyed the missile with patriot missiles at the sky and two civilians were sustained injuries in Riyadh neighbourhood by falling debris from the intercepted missiles as they exploded in mid-air.
Another missile was also intercepted and destroyed over the southern city of Jizan, which borders Yemen, according to Saudi-owned media outlet Al Arabiya.
Al Maliki blamed on Yemen’s Houthi militia for the attack.
“The missiles were fired by the Houthi terrorist militia from Sanaa and Saada in Yemen toward civilian objects and civilians in the Kingdom”, said Al Maliki.
Residents in Riyadh heard several explosions and emergency vehicle sirens before details of the missiles were released by the state media, reports news agencies.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but Yemen’s Houthi rebels have previously targeted Saudi cities with missiles, rockets and drones.
It was the first major attack on Saudi Arabia since the Houthis offered last September to halt attacks on the kingdom after the devastating twin strikes on Saudi oil installations.
On Friday the Arab Coalition had intercepted and destroyed drones launched by the Houthi militia targeting the cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait and also demolished the Houthis' drone launch pad.
Saudi Arabia has faced repeated attacks in recent years from missiles, rockets and drones shot by the Houthis since June 2015, all of which Saudi forces claim to have intercepted.
