Saudi air defenses intercept Houthi missile over Jizan

RIYADH, 24 May 2018 [Fik/News Sources]: Saudi air defenses on Thursday intercepted a “ballistic missile” fired into Saudi territory by Yemen’s Houthi rebel group, according to Saudi media reports.

The missile was fired toward Saudi Arabia’s southwestern Jizan province, the Al-Ekhbariya television channel reported.

Yemen’s Houthi-run Al-Masira television channel, meanwhile, appeared to confirm that a missile had been fired toward the Jizan seaport from Yemeni territory.

No casualties have been reported.

Thursday’s missile attack was the fourth by Houthi rebels since the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan began last week.

Impoverished Yemen has been wracked by conflict since 2014, when the Houthis overran much of the country, including capital Sanaa.

The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-Arab allies launched a wide-ranging military campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi gains in Yemen.

Riyadh has repeatedly accused the Houthis of acting as a proxy force for Shia Iran, Saudi Arabia’s arch-foe in the region.