Iran-backed rebels in Yemen fire missiles at Saudi capital

Houthi rebels, outfitted by Iran, fired rockets at Saudi Arabia.

By: AP

Yemen’s Shiite rebels fired ballistic missiles at the Saudi capital on Wednesday, according to the rebels and Saudi state TV, which said they were intercepted by the military.

The cross-border attack by the Iran-allied rebels, known as Houthis, came amid mounting regional tensions after US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Tehran.

Saudi forces have intercepted Houthi missiles several times since March 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition launched a war against the rebels and their allies after they captured much of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.

There was no immediate comment on the strikes on Riyadh from the Saudi military, which said it had intercepted two missiles fired across the border at the southern Jizan province, hundreds of miles away.

The rebel-run Al-Masirah TV said Wednesday’s missiles hit their targets with “high accuracy.”

The stalemated war in Yemen has killed more than 10,000 civilians and displaced three million others, pushing the Arab world’s poorest country to the brink of famine. Saudi Arabia has also imposed an air and sea blockade on Yemen.

The US, which is one of the kingdom’s most important military suppliers, has backed the coalition with logistical support.

The United Nations, Western nations and Saudi Arabia say Iran supplies the Houthis with long-range missiles capable of reaching Riyadh. Iran denies arming them.