Missile attack injures Pakistani expat in Saudi’s Jazan

A Pakistani expat was injured in a Yemeni missile attack targeting the city of Jazan in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition in Yemen confirmed that the missile was launched by the Iran-backed Houthi Militias from Saada Province in Yemen, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The coalition’s official spokesman Colonel Turki Al Malki stated that at 1.39pm on Sunday, Saudi Royal Air Defense Forces monitored the launch of the ballistic missile.

It fell in a remote area and resulted in the “light injury” of a Pakistani expatriate, he said.

The missile was heading towards the city of Jazan and was deliberately launched to target civilian and populated areas, claimed Al Malki.

“This hostile act by the Iran-backed Houthi militias proves the continuing involvement of the Iranian regime in supporting the Houthi militias equipped with qualitative capabilities in a flagrant and explicit violation of the two UN resolutions No. 2216 and 2231 aiming to threaten the security of Saudi Arabia as well as the regional and international security.

“Launching ballistic missiles towards densely populated cities and villages is considered contradictory to the humanitarian international law,” he stated.

Saudi forces also intercepted and destroyed another missile from Yemen headed towards the city of Khamis Mushait on Thursday. Earlier this month, a missile also killed three civilians in Jazan – the deadliest attack since the kingdom entered the Yemen war in 2015.

Read more: Three civilians killed in missile attack in Saudi’s Jazan

The kingdom has seen an increasing number of missile attacks in recent weeks as the coalition intensifies its offensive in Yemen.

On Sunday, the coalition confirmed that it had captured the airport in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah from Houthis. It said technical teams were de-mining the area.

Read more: Saudi-led coalition captures Hodeidah airport

The alliance is attempting to capture the city in the biggest battle since they entered the war in 2015.

The coalition intervened in Yemen three years ago to restore the internationally recognised government led by President in exile