Yemeni rebel missile shot down near Makkah

RIYADH: A ballistic missile fired by Yemeni rebels was shot down late Thursday close to Makkah in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said.

The missile was intercepted 69 kilometres south of the holy site situated in western Saudi Arabia, the coalition said in a statement, calling it “a desperate attempt by Al Houthi rebels to disrupt Haj”, which begins at the end of August.

“The air defense forces of the coalition in support of legitimacy in Yemen were on Thursday able to intercept a ballistic missile launched by the Al Houthi militias towards Makkah. The interception operation took place over Al Wasliya area in Al Taif province, some 69 km away from the holy city of Makkah, without causing any harm,” the coalition said in a statement.