Saudi-led coalition downs new rebel drone from Yemen

By Diana Shalhub

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said Sunday it had intercepted and destroyed an explosive-laden drone fired by Houthi rebels towards Saudi Arabia, the third such aerial attack in two days.

A coalition statement cited by the official Saudi news agency SPA said the rebel drone targeted the city of Khamis Mushait, southwest of the kingdom.

The coalition accused the Houthis of continuing to attack civilian targets, saying it has taken “operational measures to protect civilians and civilian facilities from rebel assaults”.

For its part, rebel spokesman Yahya Saree said the attack targeted the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait.

The rebel group, backed by Iran, regularly announces rocket and drone attacks on Saudi territories, saying they are a reaction to the Saudi-led coalition’s assault on Yemen.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa. The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the conflict has claimed more than 233,000 lives.

*Ahmed Asmar in Ankara contributed to this report