OMM Newsroom
Saudi Arabia’s air defense systems intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward the country’s eastern region early Sunday, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition said, according to Anadolu Agency.
Brig. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group had targeted Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province with the missile. He said the projectile was intercepted and destroyed before reaching its intended target.
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense Directorate had earlier reported that emergency warning systems were activated in Dammam, Al-Ahsa and Abqaiq. Authorities later announced that the threat had passed.
Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since 2014, when the Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa, and several other provinces.
The Saudi-led coalition began military operations in 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
Fighting between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis has intensified in recent months. The Iran-backed group has repeatedly targeted Saudi Arabia, including aviation sites, with ballistic missiles and drones.
