The Houthis warned on March 16 that they could launch attacks on the capitals of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emiratis with advanced ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
“We have aerial photographs and coordinates of dozens of headquarters, facilities and military bases of the enemy … The legitimate targets of our forces extend to the capital of Saudi Arabia [Riyadh] and to the emirate of Abu Dhabi [the capital of the UAE],” Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari, a spokesman of the pro-Houthis wing of the Yemeni Armed Forces, said at a press briefing.
The Houthis’ spokesman went on to show a reconnaissance video of a strategic water desalination facility in the southern Saudi province of Jizan. The video appears to be taken by a UAV.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari claimed that the Houthis are locally developing and manufacturing advanced missiles and UAVs. The spokesman said that these capabilities are aimed at deterring the Saudi-led coalition, who has been bombing Houthis-held areas for more than three years now.
“The missiles force achieved major success leading to the production of ballistic missiles 100% locally … New generations of attack UAVs were produced and manufactured,” Sari said.
The Houthis’ threat comes amid intense attacks by the Saudi-led coalition in northwestern and central Yemen. These attacks will likely lead to a new round of escalation in the war-torn country.
