Yemen’s army has reportedly carried out ballistic missile attacks against the Mushait military air base in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region.
Iranian Press TV reported that Yemeni forces carried out two ballistic missile attacks hitting the air base late on Sunday. No details relating to the extent of damage inflicted was reported.
AFP news agency however reported that the Saudi Arabian air defense on Monday intercepted a Scud missile fired at the same Kamis Mushait airbase quoting spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, Brigadier General Ahmen al-Assiri.
The interception occurred “this morning at about three o’clock,” Ahmed al-Assiri said. “They are still targeting the cities,” he added.
Roughly 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the Yemeni border, the King Khalid Air Base, near the city of Khamis Mushait, is at the forefront of Saudi-led air operations against Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies, elite troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen.
The Saudis have deployed Patriot missile batteries designed to counter tactical ballistic missiles, which have been fired occasionally since March when the Saudi-led coalition began air strikes in support of the Yemeni government after Iran-backed Huthis seized much of Yemen.