Saudi Media Reports Destruction of a 'Missile Fired from Yemen'

A Saudi state television network announced on Tuesday, January 16, that the country's air defense system had intercepted and destroyed a 'missile fired from Yemen' targeting the Jazan region in southern Saudi Arabia. Reuters reports that Al-Ekhbariya did not provide further details about this missile attack. Meanwhile, the Fars news agency, close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, cited Yemeni sources stating that 'the missile unit of the Yemeni army and Ansar Allah fired a short-range ballistic missile towards the regional airport in Jazan on Tuesday night.' According to Reuters, the Iran-backed Houthi militants have fired several missiles towards Saudi Arabia, but these missiles have not caused serious damage. However, the firing of these missiles has heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Saudi Arabia and the United States claim that Iran supplies missile weapons to the Houthis, while Iran denies these accusations. Reports also indicate that UN experts have told the Security Council that investigations into the remnants of ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia show that their components were manufactured in Iran. The Associated Press reported on Friday, January 12, citing parts of a report prepared by UN experts and statements from diplomats, that Iran has provided missiles and unmanned military aircraft to its supported Houthi fighters in Yemen, violating UN sanctions. The sanctions imposed by the Security Council regarding the Yemen war, since March 2015, prohibit the direct or indirect supply of weapons to the Houthis and their allies. According to Reuters, the civil war in Yemen has resulted in over ten thousand deaths so far, while more than seven million Yemenis are on the brink of famine, and the outbreak of cholera threatens the lives of over a million Yemenis. Iran has confirmed its support for the Houthis but denies transferring weapons to them. Meanwhile, Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, stated two months ago for the first time that his country provides 'advisory assistance' to Yemen. Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, on December 14, displayed remnants of a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis towards Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, calling it a 'warning siren' for the international community and called for action against Iran.