Illustrative image, source: the Houthis media wing
On August 22, the Saudi-led coalition foiled two attempts by the Houthis to target the southern region of Saudi Arabia with advanced weapons.
In the afternoon, the Saudi-led coalition intercepted a “bomb-laden drone” and a “ballistic missile,” which were launched by the Houthis from Yemen. The coalition said in a statement that the missile was heading towards civilian areas in the kingdom’s southern province of Jizan.
Later on the same day, the coalition intercepted a second suicide drone, that was also on its way to attack a target in southern Saudi Arabia.
“The terrorist Houthi militia used civilians and civilian objects to shield the launch site of the ballistic missile,” Col. Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the coalition, said in an official statement.
The Saudi-led coalition uses MIM-104 Patriot PAC3 systems to intercept missiles and rockets launched by the Houthis. Drones, however, are usually shot down by warplanes of the Royal Saudi Air Force with AIM-120 AMRAAM or with other air-to-air missiles.
The Houthis have not commented on the Saudi-led coalition’s claims, thus far. The group usually announce any attack within a few days.
The Saudi-led coalition foiled several drone and missile attacks by the Houthis over the last few months. However, the Yemeni group is still working to develop its offensive capabilities.
