Houthis in Yemen Fired Missiles Towards Riyadh

Houthi rebels in Yemen fired several ballistic missiles towards the capital of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, and Saudi officials stated that these missiles were tracked and destroyed over Riyadh. Reuters reports that the Houthi missile attack occurred just one day after Donald Trump decided to withdraw the U.S. from the nuclear deal with Iran, which could signal an escalation of tensions between Saudi Arabia and its main regional rival, Iran. The Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV network reported that the group targeted economic sites in Riyadh. At least four explosions were heard in downtown Riyadh, but no reports of damage or casualties have been released. In recent months, the Houthis have launched several missiles towards various locations in Saudi Arabia. These attacks are part of the ongoing conflict between the two sides in the three-year Yemen war, which many believe has turned into a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Colonel Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition supported by the U.S., stated that Saudi air defense tracked and destroyed one missile, while another fell in desert areas south of Riyadh. Colonel Aziz Rashid, spokesman for the Houthi-aligned forces, told Al-Masirah that this attack marks the 'beginning of a new phase' and is a retaliatory strike for last month’s airstrikes by the coalition that killed a senior Houthi political leader. Colonel Rashid added, 'As long as the enemy is not restrained, does not understand the meaning of Yemeni threats, and does not cease its crimes, missile attacks will continue.' He did not mention Trump’s decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran, which was made just hours before the missile attack. However, there are concerns that the U.S. president's decision could escalate conflict and tensions in Yemen and other critical areas of the Middle East. Reuters adds that the Saudi government and other U.S. allies in the region supported Trump’s decision on Wednesday. The official Yemeni government, which has been forced to seek refuge in Saudi Arabia due to Houthi attacks, also expressed its support for Trump’s decision. The Yemeni government stated that the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA is a necessary action to stop Iran's 'dangerous destabilizing' activities, adding that 'the Iranian regime has exploited the benefits of the nuclear deal to export terrorism and violence to neighboring countries.' The Arab military coalition led by Saudi Arabia began its intervention in Yemen's civil war in the spring of 2015. Iran and the Houthis have consistently denied Riyadh's accusations of sending weapons to the Yemeni rebels. Meanwhile, Saudi state media reported that in a separate incident, its air defense tracked and destroyed a missile fired towards the city of Jizan in the south. The Saudi state news agency quoted Colonel Turki al-Maliki as saying, 'This hostile action by the Iranian-backed Houthi militants proves the continuation of Iranian regime interventions.' The Saudi Civil Defense Organization is set to conduct a trial run for sirens in Riyadh and other areas on Thursday, advising the public to seek safe shelters upon hearing sirens and to 'avoid going to areas vulnerable to air and missile attacks.'