Saudi intercepts missile over Jizan

Saudi Arabia has intercepted the latest in a flurry of missiles fired towards its territory from neighbouring Yemen, authorities said on Friday.

Yemen’s Houthis have recently stepped up attacks on the kingdom using missiles that Saudi Arabia and the United States say are being provided by Iran.

On Wednesday, the kingdom’s air defence forces intercepted three missiles fired towards Riyadh, Jizan and Najran.

Read: Saudi intercepts missiles over Riyadh, Jizan and Najran

The latest attack also targeted Jizan, a port city not far from the Yemen border, Saudi coalition spokesperson colonel Turki Al-Malki said.

He said the missile was launched “in an intentional manner to wreak havoc, in densely populated areas”.

Shrapnel from the projectile hit dwelling quarters in the area but no casualties or damage was reported, he added, repeating claims that the attacks were in breach of international law.

Saudi Arabia suffered its first casualty from a missile attack last month, when an Egyptian resident of Riyadh was hit by debris from a series of missiles targeting the capital and the southern Saudi cities of Najran, Jizan and Khamis Mushait.

Read: UN Security Council condemns Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia and Arab partners including the UAE intervened against the Houthis in Yemen’s war in 2015 to restore the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The United Nations says 10,000 people have died in the fighting.