Saudi Arabia claims response to Houthi ballistic missile attack from Yemen

The Saudi-led coalition intervening in Yemen announced Monday that its air defenses intercepted ballistic missiles fired by Houthi rebels targeting the kingdom's southern region. The coalition's spokesperson, Turki al-Maliki, stated that the "air defenses responded to a ballistic missile threat launched by the Houthi terrorist militia towards the southern region."

This announcement came shortly after the Houthi movement accused Saudi Arabia of bombing the runway at Sanaa International Airport. The rebels claimed the strike occurred just before an Iranian plane, reportedly carrying a Houthi delegation from Tehran, was scheduled to land in the Yemeni capital. While the Houthis have not officially claimed the missile launch, they asserted their "full right to respond to the Saudi aggression" and vowed that the bombing "will not go unpunished."

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Air defenses have responded to a ballistic missile threat launched by the Houthi terrorist militia towards the southern region.

The situation is complicated by the fact that the internationally recognized Yemeni government's army claimed responsibility for the bombing of Sanaa airport, which has been under Houthi control since 2014. The coalition led by Riyadh had not initially commented on this specific incident. These events unfold amidst escalating tensions surrounding direct air travel between Tehran and Sanaa, particularly after Iran operated a civilian flight the previous week to transport a Houthi delegation to Tehran for the funeral of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. The Mahan Air flight returning from Tehran to Sanaa was diverted to Al Hudaydah airport, also controlled by the Houthis, following the reported bombing of the capital's facility.

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We have the full right to respond to the Saudi aggression and the bombing will not go unpunished.