RIYADH – Debris from missiles fired by Yemen’s Huthi rebels into Saudi Arabia have caused a small fire on a university campus in the kingdom’s south, said the Riyadh-led military coalition operating in Yemen.
It said Saudi air defence intercepted five ballistic missiles and four drones deployed by Yemeni rebels last night and this morning.
The missiles were fired and drones sent from Yemen’s Sa’ada province, a rebel stronghold in the north of the country, toward the Saudi city of Jizan, said coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki.
“Debris fell on the campus of Jizan University, causing a small fire which was brought under control. There are no casualties.”
According to official Saudi news agency SPA, Maliki condemned the escalating Huthi air campaign against “civilian targets”, warning that these “hostile acts constitute war crimes”.
A Huthi spokesman in the northern capital of Sanaa said 11 missiles and drones targeted facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco.
Patriot anti-missile batteries and other “sensitive facilities” are also targeted by the Huthis in Jizan, a rebel military spokesman said according to the Huthis’ Al-Masirah television.
On Monday, the Huthis claimed to have carried out other attacks against Saudi Arabia, saying they have launched 17 drones and missiles at various targets, including Aramco facilities.
Saudi authorities did not confirm any attack on oil facilities at the time. However, the coalition indicated that six drones launched from Yemen have been intercepted, without mentioning any casualty.
Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition that intervened in the Yemen conflict in 2015, to support the internationally recognised government.
It has reported numerous attacks by the rebels on Aramco facilities, airports and other civilian targets in recent months. – AFP, April 15, 2021
