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Saudi Arabia shoots down Houthi missile close to Riyadh Saudi Arabia shoots down Houthi missile close to Riyadh
(about 1 hour later)
Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed to have fired a ballistic missile towards the Saudi king’s official residence in Riyadh, which Saudi Arabia said was intercepted south of the capital. The 1000th day of the Yemen civil war was marked by escalating violence including an audacious but unsuccessful Houthi rebel ballistic missile attack aimed at the Saudi king’s official residence in Riyadh.
Mohammad Abdulsalam, a spokesman for the Houthis controlling the Yemeni capital of Sana’a, said the missile was launched towards al-Yamama palace. The Saudi-owned television network Al Arabiya reported on its Arabic language website later on Tuesday that the rocket had been shot down. It is the third such missile attack mounted by Houthis inside a month and was intercepted by the Saudi Royal Air Force south of the capital.
The conflict in Yemen, which entered its 1,000th day on Tuesday, has intensified since Houthi rebels killed former president Ali Abdullah Saleh this month. Saudi, backed by the US, claim the missiles are being supplied by Iran and have used the alleged leakage of sophisticated weaponry into Houthi hands to justify a blockade on humanitarian and commercial aid going through the port of Hodeida, the key artery for the delivery of aid and fuel for tens of thousands of Yemenis.
Airstrikes by the Saudi-led military coalition have killed at least 136 civilians and non-combatants since 6 December, the UN human rights spokesman said on Tuesday. Other UN officials said the coalition was maintaining tight restrictions on ships reaching Yemen even though 8 million Yemenis are on the brink of famine with the country relying on imports for the bulk of its food, fuel and medicine. The missile attack may have been a response to a recent growing Saudi air raids that the UN High Commission for Human Rights claimed had led to 136 civilians killed and another 87 injured in the strikes on Sana’a, Saada, Hodeida, Marib and Taez governorates between 6 and 16 December.
“We are deeply concerned at the recent surge in civilian casualties in Yemen as a result of intensified air strikes by the ... coalition, following the killing of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sana’a on 4 December” human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told a news briefing.“We are deeply concerned at the recent surge in civilian casualties in Yemen as a result of intensified air strikes by the ... coalition, following the killing of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sana’a on 4 December” human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told a news briefing.
The Saudi-led coalition, reacting to Tuesday’s missile launch, said it was a sign of Iran’s continued support for Houthis, which it described as terrorists. There is growing evidence that the Saudis are mounting an “escalate to de-escalate” strategy in a bid to bring the deadlocked and multi-layered war to a head. The Saudis, in conjunction with its allies the United Arab Emirates, have been trying to form new political alliances inside Yemen to isolate the Houthis, as well as mounting assaults on Houthi positions south of the capital in Sanaa.
“This aggressive and arbitrary act by the armed Houthi Iranian group proves the continued involvement of the Iranian regime in supporting the Houthis [...] with the aim of threatening the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said coalition spokesman Turki Al-Malki. The Saudi’s ultimate objective may be an attack on the port of Hodeida, a goal that was vetoed by the previous US administration of Barack Obama, but that is more likely to be sanctioned by a Trump administration convinced that Tehran is mounting a strategic play to take over the country in the same way that it holds influence in Lebanon.
“The control of Iranian-made ballistic weapons by terrorist organisations, including the Houthi armed militia supported by Iran, is a threat to regional and international security, and the targeting of populated cities is contrary to international humanitarian law.” The rocket attack was the third in two months, and follows a rocket attack on Riyadh international airport on 4 November. Saudi coalition spokesman Turki Al-Maliki immediately blamed Iran saying “This aggressive and arbitrary act by the armed Houthi Iranian group proves the continued involvement of the Iranian regime in supporting the Houthis [...] with the aim of threatening the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.
Agence France-Presse said one of its correspondents based in Riyadh heard a loud explosion and some users posted videos on Twitter which appeared to show the moment the Saudi defence system shot down the missile. He added “The control of Iranian-made ballistic weapons by terrorist organisations, including the Houthi armed militia supported by Iran, is a threat to regional and international security, and the targeting of populated cities is contrary to international humanitarian law.”
The incident happened before King Salman was scheduled to announce the annual budget. It was not clear if that programme had gone ahead as planned. Mohammad Abdulsalam, a spokesman for the Heaths controlling the Yemeni capital of Sana’a, said the missile was launched towards al-Yamama palace.
Houthi rebels have attempted to hit Saudi targets with ballistic missile a number of times in recent months. The fighting has intensified ever since Houthi rebels killed Saleh this month, punishing him for switching to support the Saudis. The Houthis have since hunted down Saleh’s supporters in Sana’a.
In November, the launch of a missile fired from Yemen towards Riyadh’s international airport led Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, to accuse Iran of “direct military aggression” by supplying missiles to Houthis – a charge Iran vehemently denied. The UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson has said a resolution of the Yemen crisis is his number one priority, but UK ministers including the prime minster, Theresa May, have three times travelled to the Middle East in the past month to urge the Saudis to lift the blockade on aid, but without success.
Saudi official said they also intercepted that missile but experts, speaking to the New York Times, cast doubt on claims that American defence systems were able to intercept that weapon. Unicef said the blockade had sparked critical shortages and had hit access to safe water across the country. “Water pumping stations serving over three million people via public networks in 14 cities are quickly running out of fuel,” it said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia and the Houthis are on opposing sides of the Yemen conflict. Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a military intervention aimed at countering the advances of the Iranian-backed Houthis and ultimately reinstating Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Hadi’s predecessor, Saleh, had formed an alliance with the Houthis in an effort to retake power but they killed him when he switched sides and said he was open to negotiations with the Saudis.
Arab spring protests erupt against Ali Abdullah Saleh, in power in Yemen since 1978. He agrees to step down  in return for immunity from prosecutionArab spring protests erupt against Ali Abdullah Saleh, in power in Yemen since 1978. He agrees to step down  in return for immunity from prosecution
Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Saleh’s former deputy, succeeds him as president.Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Saleh’s former deputy, succeeds him as president.
Anti-Hadi protests hit the capital, Sana’a, after a cut to government fuel subsidies sharply increases fuel prices.Anti-Hadi protests hit the capital, Sana’a, after a cut to government fuel subsidies sharply increases fuel prices.
Houthi rebels take control of most of Sana’a and form an anti-Hadi alliance with forces loyal to Saleh.Houthi rebels take control of most of Sana’a and form an anti-Hadi alliance with forces loyal to Saleh.
The Saleh-Houthi forces seize the presidential palace in Sana’a and Hadi flees to Aden, Yemen’s second city.The Saleh-Houthi forces seize the presidential palace in Sana’a and Hadi flees to Aden, Yemen’s second city.
Saudi Arabia enters the war at the head of a nine-country coalition bombing the rebels in defence of Hadi’s internationally-recognised government.Saudi Arabia enters the war at the head of a nine-country coalition bombing the rebels in defence of Hadi’s internationally-recognised government.
The UN puts the death toll at 10,000 since the Saudi intervention.The UN puts the death toll at 10,000 since the Saudi intervention.
Saudi Arabia tightens its blockade on Yemen, including of humanitarian aid, after a rocket fired from the country falls close to Riyadh.Saudi Arabia tightens its blockade on Yemen, including of humanitarian aid, after a rocket fired from the country falls close to Riyadh.
Saleh reaches out to the Saudi-led coalition, offering to “turn the page” if it lifts the blockade. The Houthis accuse him of a “coup against our alliance” and ambush his convoy as it flees Sana’a, killing him.Saleh reaches out to the Saudi-led coalition, offering to “turn the page” if it lifts the blockade. The Houthis accuse him of a “coup against our alliance” and ambush his convoy as it flees Sana’a, killing him.
“Today marks 1,000 days since the beginning of the war in Yemen, a country which is now suffering from the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, with a near-famine and the largest cholera outbreak in modern history,” the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said on Tuesday. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said on Tuesday: “Today marks 1,000 days since the beginning of the war in Yemen, a country which is now suffering from the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, with a near-famine and the largest cholera outbreak in modern history.”
Last week, the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, made a presentation in Washington DC, unveiling the remains of two missiles which she said were supplied by Iran to the Houthis.Last week, the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, made a presentation in Washington DC, unveiling the remains of two missiles which she said were supplied by Iran to the Houthis.
She said they were evidence of Iran’s interference in Yemen, although other western nations doubt the claims. She said they were evidence of Iran’s interference in Yemen, although other western nations doubt the claims. France has yet to endorse the US claim that the November 4 rocket was supplied by Iran, and is wary that the civil war may be used by the US to mount a campaign to persuade Europe that it needs to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal due to wider Iranian disruption.
On Tuesday, Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the Swiss ambassador, who represents US interests in Tehran in the absence of an American embassy, condemning Haley’s “irresponsible” claim.On Tuesday, Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the Swiss ambassador, who represents US interests in Tehran in the absence of an American embassy, condemning Haley’s “irresponsible” claim.
Iran’s strong protest was conveyed to the Swiss ambassador,” said Tehran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.Iran’s strong protest was conveyed to the Swiss ambassador,” said Tehran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Iran’s ambassador to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad took to twitter on Tuesday to condemn Haley’s comments. “Ambassador @nikkihaley exhibited ‘unforgettable’ isolation of his country by veto of the resolution rejecting Trump’s recent recognition of Al-Quds as capital of the Israeli regime. UNGA will address the issue on December 21, expecting a major blow to Trump and US foreign policy,” he posted.Iran’s ambassador to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad took to twitter on Tuesday to condemn Haley’s comments. “Ambassador @nikkihaley exhibited ‘unforgettable’ isolation of his country by veto of the resolution rejecting Trump’s recent recognition of Al-Quds as capital of the Israeli regime. UNGA will address the issue on December 21, expecting a major blow to Trump and US foreign policy,” he posted.