RIYADH, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s air defense shot down a scud missile that was reportedly launched by the Shia Houthi militant group on Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency said.
A statement released by the Saudi-led coalition said the militia launched a scud missile from Yemen, targeting Khamis Mushait city in southern Saudi Arabia.
Saudi forces intercepted the missile using two patriot missiles and targeted a Houthi missile launcher base in northwestern Yemen.
Meanwhile, on Friday four Saudi soldiers were killed in clashes with forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh backed by Houthi militants.
The Saudi forces managed to repel the Yemeni attack on the Saudi borders in Jizan and killed scores of militants, according to the Saudi national news agency.
Fractious Yemen has remained in turmoil since last September, when Houthi militants overran Sana’a from which they have sought to extend their influence to other parts of the country.
On March 25, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies began an extensive air campaign targeting Houthi positions across the country.
Riyadh says its campaign comes in response to appeals by Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi -- who is in Saudi Arabia -- for military intervention against Houthi militants.
The Houthis, however, denounce the offensive as unwarranted “Saudi-American aggression” against Yemen.
