Video: Saudi forces destroy missile targeting ‘civilians’ in Riyadh, debris damages house

Saudi forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile attack from Yemen targeting the kingdom’s capital Riyadh on Saturday, officials announced.

No casualties were recorded, but some of the scattered debris resulted in material damage to one house, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

#فيديو |لحظة اعتراض الهجوم البالستي على #الرياض من المليشيا الحوثية. #واس_عام pic.twitter.com/SSBhGbAVan

— واس العام (@SPAregions) February 27, 2021

The kingdom’s forces also intercepted six drone attacks on Saturday and early on Sunday morning targeting other parts of the kingdom.

Brigadier general Turki Al-Malki, official spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said: “Joint coalition forces have intercepted and destroyed Saturday night and Sunday morning (February 27-28, 2021) one ballistic missile toward [Riyadh] launched by the terrorist, Iran-backed Houthi militia, and six bomb-laden UAVs toward the kingdom launched deliberately and systematically to target civilians and civilian objects in the southern region, Jazan and Khamis Mushait.”

The Houthis are “purposely escalating the deliberate, hostile, terrorist targeting of civilians and civilian objects using ballistic missiles and bomb-laden UAVs”, he stated.

“The coalition will continue to implement all necessary precautions to safeguard civilians and civilian objects, and all required operational procedures to stop such terrorist acts and aggression attempts, and appropriately handle the sources of these threats in accordance with the customary international humanitarian law,” he added.

The kingdom has been facing numerous Houthi drone attacks in recent weeks.

Late last month, Saudi Arabia said it had “intercepted and destroyed a hostile air target going towards Riyadh”. According to media reports, a loud explosion was heard over the central part of the city and white smoke was visible.

Read: US, UK condemn air attack on Riyadh which ‘targeted civilians’

Earlier this month, an attack on the Abha airport resulted in a civilian plane catching fire, although there were no reports of any injuries.

“We are taking the necessary measures to protect civilians from the threats of the Houthis,” Al-Malki said at the time.

Read: Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport attacked; civilian plane catches fire