Saudis intercept Al Houthi missile fired at Jizan city

Missile was fired indiscriminately with the aim of hitting civilian areas, coalition spokesman says

Saudi air defences intercepted a missile fired by Iran-backed Al Houthi militants at the kingdom’s southern city of Jizan late Thursday, the Saudi-led coalition said, the latest in a series of such attacks.

“The missile was fired at Jizan indiscriminately with the aim of hitting civilian areas,” a coalition spokesman told the official Saudi Press Agency.

“It was successfully intercepted ... and the debris fell on a residential neighbourhood ... but no casualties or damage were reported.”

A missile was launched from Sada’a, an Al Houthi stronghold in northern Yemen, the coalition added.

The attack was claimed by the militants via their news outlet Al Masirah.

The strike comes after Saudi forces on Wednesday said they intercepted rebel ballistic missiles fired at Riyadh and the south of the kingdom, where two drones were also shot down.

Al Houthis have said their cross-border barrage marked the launch of what their leadership has dubbed “the year of ballistics”.

Saudi Arabia has since March 2015 led a coalition of Arab states fighting to restore its neighbour’s internationally-recognised government to power.

Riyadh has repeatedly accused arch-rival Tehran of providing the missiles and threatened retaliation against Iran.

Nearly 10,000 people have since been killed in the conflict, in what the United Nations has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Riyadh has repeatedly accused archrival Tehran of providing the missiles and threatened retaliation against Iran.