Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH – The Saudi air defense forces on Wednesday successfully downed two hostile drones over the southern cities of Abha and Jazan and intercepted three ballistic missiles fired toward Riyadh, Najran and Jazan by the Houthi militias from the Yemeni territories.

Col. Turki Al-Malki, spokesman of the Saudi-led Coalition forces fighting for legitimacy in Yemen, said in a statement that the air defense system at Abha International Airport detected at 07:40 a.m. an unidentified object moving in the direction of the airport and destroyed it. Immediately, the air traffic to and from the airport was closed in accordance with the global aviation laws and later it was resumed, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Al-Malki said that specialists from the joint coalition forces examined the debris of the object and found that it was a Houthi drone with Iranian features and specifications that was trying to target the airport protected under international humanitarian law.

The spokesman also noted that at around 7.30 a.m. another unidentified object was monitored moving in the direction of a civilian landmark in Jazan and it was destroyed by air defense forces with no losses reported.

Tests conducted by specialists of the joint coalition revealed that the debris of the object was identical to that of the hostile drone that was downed at Abha airport.

Al-Malki said the Saudi Royal Air Defense forces intercepted three ballistic missiles that targeted Riyadh, Najran and Jazan. “At 5:32 p.m. Wednesday, the air defense forces of the Coalition spotted the firing of three ballistic missiles by the Iranian-backed Houthi militias from the Yemeni territory of Saada and Amran governorates. One of the rockets was in the direction of the city of Riyadh, while the second was towards the city of Najran and the third towards Jazan. These were deliberately launched to target civilian areas,” he said.

The forces were able to intercept all of them and no injuries or damage were reported in the attacks, Al-Malki said.

The Command of the Joint Forces of Coalition warned the Houthi armed militia supported by Iran against targeting civilian areas and people.

It said that decisive counter attacks will be carried out against suicide terrorist attacks.

The Command also warned the terrorist Houthi militia against using these capabilities targeting civilian objects and people as well as vital and industrial facilities, calling upon the leaders and planners of the terrorist militia and those who stand behind them to reconsider their actions and be ready to bear the consequences.