By deliberately targeting a major civilian area, Al Houthis crossed a line on Saturday night. The ballistic missile they fired at the Saudi capital of Riyadh was intercepted by the defence forces of the kingdom before it could do any harm. The fact that there were no injuries in such a serious incident attests to the level of preparedness of the Saudi armed forces.

This is not the first time that Al Houthis have shown such wanton disregard for civilian life. They have fired 78 missiles indiscriminately in the past at the kingdom, including at Makkah, which were also intercepted. But this is the first time that a missile fired by Al Houthis has travelled so far — 1,000km north of the Yemen border. What this tells us is that the regime in Tehran is increasing its assistance for its puppets in Yemen, helping them ratchet up tensions and further destabilise the already volatile region. These actions are in line with the irresponsible and dangerous regional policy that Iran has pursued, one that is marked by a blatant interference in the internal affairs of its neighbours, and the spread of sectarianism.

However, Iran and its proxies continue to underestimate the resolve of the kingdom and its Gulf and Arab partners to combat the menace posed by this alliance to our region. As His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has made it clear, the UAE stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Saudi Arabia against groups, individuals and regimes that threaten the safety, security and integrity of the region. He said the security of the kingdom is an integral part of UAE security, and that the hand of evil “will not undermine the resolve of our brothers in the kingdom”.

The latest escalation from this militia in Yemen, and the extent to which it is willing to go, is a vindication of the original move by the coalition in 2015 to intervene in Yemen to restore the legitimacy of the country’s internationally recognised government. Shaikh Mohammad has also stressed his “absolute confidence in victory and the total elimination of any attempt to undermine our security and stability”.

The missile attack shows the frustration of Al Houthis and their regional backers. It amounts to a dangerous escalation. But, in the end, it will only backfire on them.