Saudi Arabian authorities confirmed that its military’s air defenses managed to intercept two ballistic missiles that were fired from the Kingdom’s southern neighbor, Yemen.
Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists claimed responsibility for the attack, which sought to target strategic economic and military sites in the Saudi capital Riyadh, as well as in the cities of Jazan, Najran and Asir. Iranian-backed Houthi Militant Spokesperson Yahya Saria said “Our armed forces have, by the grace of God, executed the biggest military operation in the sixth year [of the war], targeting the depths of Saudi Arabia. The operation was executed with rockets and drones, targeting sensitive sites in the Saudi capital Riyadh with missiles and the Samad-3 drones. It also targeted a number of economic and military sites in Jazan, Najran and Asir.”
According to the Saudi Civil Defense Ministry spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed al-Hammadi, “two civilians were slightly injured due to the falling of the intercepted missile’s debris, as (the ballistic missiles) exploded in mid-air, over residential districts (of Riyadh).” The spokesman went on to condemn the Houthis and their Iranian patrons for the unprovoked aggression; merely two days after they publicly welcomed a U.N.-brokered ceasefire.
It is important to note that the Iranian-proxy’s indiscriminate fire came just two days after Iranian-backed militias in Iraq launched two rockets into Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, where Iraq’s government – along with most foreign embassies – are located. According to an Iraqi military statement ‘The rockets struck near the American-backed Baghdad Operations Command, which is situated a few hundred meters from the U.S. Embassy Compound. This rocket attack, which intelligence officials attributed to Iranian-backed militants, is the fifth such attack against U.S.-backed installations during this month alone.