Arab coalition forces destroy missile, Houthi drone

By Talal Arif

RIYADH

Saudi-led Arab coalition forces announced Saturday it destroyed an explosive-laden drone and a ballistic missile sent by Houthis in Yemen to the Saudi Arabian territory.

A statement by coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Maliki said the unmanned aerial vehicle sent by the Houthi rebels to the south of Saudi Arabia, and a ballistic missile fired at Jazan in the southwest were neutralized, according to the Saudi SPA news agency.

While al-Maliki did not provide details, no statement was made from the Houthis.

Earlier, al-Maliki announced the missile and an explosive-laden drone sent by the Houthis on Aug. 20 and Aug. 21 was also neutralized.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital, Sana’a.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

Tens of thousands of Yemenis, including civilians, are believed to have been killed in the conflict, which has led to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis as millions remain at risk of starvation.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev from Ankara