Mortar Shelling of a Border City in Saudi Arabia; Schools and Airport in Najran Closed

Reports indicate that following the impact of several mortars in a border city of Saudi Arabia in the Najran region, schools and all flights to this area have been canceled. According to the Associated Press, Houthi Shiite militia forces shelled the Najran region in southern Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, killing at least two Saudi civilians and damaging several residential areas. The leader of a tribal group in the border areas of Yemen with Saudi Arabia told the Associated Press that Houthi militants have taken several Saudi soldiers captive. According to this report, Saudi Ministry of Defense officials have not yet responded to the news of the capture of these soldiers. Last week, three Saudi soldiers and several Houthi militants were killed in clashes in this area. Despite this, the Saudi government announced on Tuesday that all flights from and to Najran Airport have been canceled. The Saudi government has not provided further explanations regarding this matter. In this context, Saudi state television announced that all schools in the Najran region have been closed following these attacks. According to Reuters, General Ahmed al-Asiri, a military spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition forces, confirmed on Tuesday that Houthi militants targeted the Najran region with mortars. He added that armed forces are fulfilling their duties to counter the Houthi militia's aggression and that today's attacks by the Houthis will not go unpunished. Meanwhile, eyewitnesses in the border areas of Yemen reported that following the Houthi attacks on areas inside Saudi territory, the country has also attacked border areas with Yemen. According to the Associated Press, since the beginning of Saudi airstrikes and those of its Arab allies against Houthi positions and supporters of Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former president of Yemen, hundreds have been killed, and at least 300,000 have been displaced since early Farvardin (March). The Houthis have managed to take control of Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, since last September. Following the rise of the Houthis, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the president of Yemen, fled from Sana'a to Aden last month. However, with the advance of the Houthis, he was forced to flee again and is now in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.