Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi-led Coalition Forces said a ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh by Iranian-backed Houthi militias on Tuesday was directed at residential areas and there were no damages.

“The missile was aimed at populated residential areas in the Riyadh area, and — thank God — was intercepted and destroyed south of Riyadh without any casualties,” Saudi Press Agency quoted a spokesman for the Coalition as saying.

Col. Turki Al-Malki, spokesman of the Coalition, said the Saudi Royal Air Defense Forces detected at noon the missile. The forces successfully intercepted and destroyed the missile that was directed at residential areas in Riyadh.

No damages were caused.

Al-Malki said the possession of the Iranian made ballistic weapons by terrorist outfits, including the Iranian-backed Houthi militias, poses a threat to regional and international security.

“Targeting residential areas through ballistic missiles is a violation of international humanitarian laws. Targeting of cities with ballistic missiles is a clear evidence of the continued acts of the Iranian-backed Houthi militias of using humanitarian entry points to smuggling Iranian missiles to the Yemeni territories in flagrant violation of UN resolutions, Al-Malki said.

A loud explosion was heard in Riyadh and smoke was seen in the sky after the Saudi Patriot missile defense system intercepted the Iran-backed Houthi ballistic missile, Al Arabiya reported.

Last month Saudi Arabia had intercepted a ballistic missile over Riyadh’s King Khaled Airport.

On Nov. 30 Saudi Arabia shot down another missile near the south-western city of Khamis Mushait.

Last week the United States presented for the first time pieces from Iranian weapons supplied to the Houthis, describing it as conclusive evidence that Tehran was violating UN resolutions.

The arms included charred remnants of what the Pentagon said was an Iranian-made short-range ballistic missile fired from Yemen in the Nov. 4 attack, as well as a drone and an anti-tank weapon recovered in Yemen by the Saudis.

On Thursday, US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley presented what she called “undeniable” evidence that last month›s missile was “made in Iran”.