Dubai: Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a Scud ballistic missile fired from Yemen on Saturday, according to a statement on the Saudi state news agency, SPA. The attack threatens a fragile ceasefire ahead of renewed United Nations-backed peace talks next month.
“Saudi Air Defense Forces intercepted at about 11pm (2000 GMT) yesterday a Scud missile launched from Sana’a, in Yemeni territory, towards the city of Najran ... the air force immediately destroyed the rocket launch platform,” the Saudi statement said.
The Saudis have deployed Patriot missile batteries designed to counter tactical ballistic missiles.
Yemen’s Al Houthi-controlled state news agency said the target was a Saudi national guard base.
In a statement published on their website sabanews.net, Al Houthis said they fired rockets at Jizan and Najran on the Saudi side of the border on Saturday, causing “losses in life and equipment”.
The attack is the latest of several ballistic missile strikes by Yemeni forces on its northern neighbour, none of which have caused any reported casualties.
A military alliance of mostly Gulf Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia, in March began bombing Yemen’s Al Houthi movement, an ally of Iran, to try to restore the government of president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi.
The conflict has killed nearly 6,000 people and plunged the impoverished country into a humanitarian crisis, but a ceasefire coinciding with United Nations-backed talks began on December 15.
Though Saudi Arabia and the Al Houthis have accused each other of many violations of the ceasefire, it has significantly reduced the fighting and allowed for deliveries of small amounts of aid to the war zones.
Yemen’s warring parties agreed to resume talks on January 14.
