Saudi authorities announced on Saturday (September 4th) that they had intercepted three ballistic missiles fired from neighboring Yemen and targeting the eastern province as well as the towns of Najran and Jazan in the south.
Debris from the interception scattered throughout the eastern town of Dammam, injuring two children and damaging fourteen homes, a defense ministry spokesperson said, without specifying the severity of the injuries.
“Saudi air defense intercepted and destroyed (three) ballistic missiles and (three) bomb-laden drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthi militia”, said a spokesman, Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki, in a statement calling the behavior “Brutal and irresponsible”.
Coalition promises action to protect civilians
According to state television El-Ekhbariya, which also reported on the interception, the military coalition undertook to take “Strict measures” to protect civilians.
At the head of a military coalition since 2015, Saudi Arabia intervenes in Yemen alongside government forces against the rebels. It is regularly the target of missiles or drones launched by the Houthis, supported by Iran, rival of the Saudi kingdom.
The attack comes four days after two drone strikes against Abha International Airport (south), which left eight people injured and were attributed to the Houthi rebels by official Saudi media. It also comes hours before the new United Nations (UN) envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, takes office on Sunday.
Eastern Saudi Arabia is home to significant oil infrastructure. A previous attack in September 2019 temporarily halved the country’s oil production.
The conflict in Yemen has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people. According to the UN, this is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. The Houthis, who control most of northern Yemen and the capital Sana’a, are calling on Riyadh to end the air and sea blockade imposed on their country as a precondition for a ceasefire agreement.
