The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen said it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile aimed at Saudi Arabia's eastern region. The missile was fired from Yemeni territory, the coalition said, as quoted by Reuters. No casualties or material damage were reported.
“The air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the Houthi militia towards the eastern region“, said Major General Turki al-Maliki, a coalition spokesman. The statement did not specify a specific city or site the missile was aimed at.
New missile attack amid escalation
The statement comes two days after the coalition announced that it had intercepted three ballistic missiles aimed at the Eastern region, as well as four drones flying towards the south of the country. At the time, Saudi authorities also did not report any casualties.
On October 29, Reuters described the latest incident as another manifestation of the escalating hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. The statement did not provide independent confirmation from the Houthis of the specific missile launch.
The Yemeni conflict
Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition that intervened in Yemen's civil war in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government after the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sanaa. In recent weeks, missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory have increased as Riyadh-backed Yemeni forces waged a campaign against the Houthis.
Sources: timesofisrael.com, spa.gov.sa, apnews.com