The Saudi-led coalition announced on Tuesday that it had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi group towards the eastern region. The missiles were launched by the Houthi group, which controls large parts of Yemen. The coalition's spokesperson, Turki Al-Malki, said that the missiles were fired towards the city of Dhahran, where the headquarters of Saudi Aramco, the kingdom's oil giant, is located.
The coalition reported that it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired towards the city of Dhahran, and another one towards the industrial city of Haradh in the eastern province of Al-Ahsa. Residents in Riyadh received a warning message on their phones, stating that the city was under aerial threat, but the alert was later lifted. The incident comes amid escalating tensions between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi group.
The Houthi group had warned of targeting Aramco's facilities in the eastern region, as well as other targets in Riyadh, if the coalition launches an attack on the group's positions in Sanaa. The group's military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said that they would target Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran, as well as the Khalid airport in Riyadh and the Riyadh refinery.
In response to the Houthi threat, the Saudi-led coalition requested that civilians evacuate the vicinity of an oil facility in western Sanaa, which the Houthis have used as a military site. The coalition said that it had identified the facility as a military target and would take necessary measures to neutralize the threat.
The coalition also announced that it had launched airstrikes on the Houthi-controlled oil company in Sanaa, as well as facilities in the provinces of Saada and Dhamar. The coalition said that the strikes were aimed at disabling the Houthi group's military capabilities, including its missile and drone arsenal.
The Houthi group has been engaged in a long-running conflict with the Saudi-led coalition, which has resulted in significant humanitarian suffering in Yemen. The group has been accused of launching missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory, including Aramco facilities.
The Saudi-led coalition has pledged to take all necessary measures to protect its territory and citizens from the Houthi threat. The incident highlights the ongoing security challenges in the region and the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen.
Key points
- The Saudi-led coalition intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi group towards the eastern region.
- The Houthi group had warned of targeting Aramco's facilities in the eastern region, as well as other targets in Riyadh.
- The coalition launched airstrikes on Houthi-controlled facilities in Sanaa, Saada, and Dhamar, aiming to disable the group's military capabilities.
