Houthi rebels launch fierce ballistic missile attacks on Saudi Arabian fuel

Sanaa/Dubai: Attacks on Saudi Arabia by Houthi rebels in Yemen have intensified. The Houthis fired 16 ballistic missiles and drones at four Saudi Arabian cities. Two children were injured, and 14 houses were damaged in the attack. Saudi Arabia said that most of the pro-Iranian Houthi attacks had been foiled. There have been reports of Saudi Arabian airstrikes on Houthi rebel strongholds.

The Houthis targeted Saudi Arabia’s Aramco projects, which are the leaders in the international fuel trade. The attacks were launched on an oil project and the military base at Ras Tanura in the Dammam province in eastern Saudi Arabia. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saria said ballistic missiles and drones had also hit fuel projects in the southern and southwestern Saudi Arabian cities of Jeddah, Jazan and Najran. Saria said the move was to teach a lesson to the Saudis who are attacking Yemen and the Houthi rebels.

The Saudi Arabian military says it successfully intercepted ballistic missiles and drones fired by Houthi rebels. Two children were injured in a crash in the Dammam province, when pieces of a ballistic missile fell during the operation. A spokesman for the Saudi Arabian military, Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki, said about 14 homes had been damaged. Also, these attacks by the Houthis are a demonstration of cruelty and irresponsibility. Saudi Arabia will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of its people, said Maliki.

Late on Sunday, the Saudi Arabian air force reportedly targeted Houthi rebel strongholds in central Yemen. But neither the Saudi Arabian and Yemeni governments nor the Houthi rebels have confirmed this. But it has been revealed that the Houthis have ballistic missiles with a range of 1,300 kilometres to attack eastern Saudi Arabian cities. The Houthis do not have the technology and equipment to produce ballistic missiles of this capability. Citing this, Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of arming Houthi rebels.

A few days ago, Houthi rebels attacked Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport. There were reports of some aircraft being damaged. Even then, Saudi Arabia claimed that the Houthi rebels’ ballistic missile attacks had not caused major damage.

Meanwhile, the UAE and Qatar have criticised Houthi rebels for launching ballistic missiles and drone strikes on Saudi Arabian fuel projects. Qatar lashed out, ‘These attacks by Houthi rebels, which threaten the general public’s safety along with the fuel projects, are an act of sabotage. This is a violation of international law.’