Arab News, Riyadh

Saudi air defense forces shot down ballistic missiles launched by the Iran-backed Houthi "terrorists" towards civilian areas in the Kingdom, the Coalition supporting Yemen's legitimate government said on Friday.

The missiles were intercepted at 12:30 a.m. after they were launched toward cities in Saudi Arabia, Coalition spokesman Col. Turki Al-Malki said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

"The missiles were launched in a systematic, deliberate manner to target cities and civilians, which is a flagrant defiance of the International Humanitarian Law," the statement said.

It did not mention which cities were targeted.

Yemen's capital, Sanaa "has become a Houthi militia assembly, installation and launching hub for ballistic missiles that target the Kingdom. The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition has exercised extreme prudence and self-restraint in dealing with the violations of the Houthi militia through launching ballistic missiles, UAVs and remote-controlled exploding boats.

"The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition will continue to apply and implement all decisive and rigorous measures, in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law, to protect Coalition States’ nationals and expatriates from such barbaric attacks,” the statement said.