Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Arab Coalition: Insurgency Saves No Effort on Foiling International Efforts for Peace | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55353925
Caption:

Riyadh- Arab Coalition leadership announced that the Saudi royal air defense forces intercepted a ballistic missile Monday morning. The trajectory was launched from Yemeni grounds targeting Saudi Arabian territory.

The missile was taken down without any substantial damage inflicted; the launchpad was destroyed momentarily by Saudi airpower.

The Saudi-led Arab Coalition later stated that the trajectory was deployed in keep with a series of other Houthi militia violations. The insurgency militias have carried out truce violations incessantly as to foil international diplomatic efforts on finding a political settlement for the war-torn country.

A truce between the warring parties that began April 10 has been deteriorating in recent days, with violations. The conflict in Yemen pits Shiite Houthi rebels and supporters of a former president against Yemen’s internationally recognized government, supported by a Saudi-led, U.S.-backed coalition

On the other hand coalition leadership asserted that any other assault will be confronted and that the coalition will uphold its commitments to the international community and the people of Yemen equally as to render the current peace talks underway in Kuwait successful.

The missile was launched a few days after U.N. Special Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh announced suspending the negotiations, which will resume on July 15.

Retired Brigadier General Ali Bin Hassan Touati clarified that the missile launched by Houthis are not as advanced as they have been rumored to be.

“Ballistic, is too big of a term for the apparently 50’s OTR-21 Tochka missiles being deployed, which are Russian trajectories modified by Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)experts as to increase target range, making the missile seem advanced,” Brig. Gen. Toutati said.

He added that Houthis have painted the missiles with different color dyes as to give the impression of them being assembled and developed by the Houthis themselves, whilst in reality IRGC units have carried out the modification.

Insurgency militias deployed over 23 ballistic missiles towards Saudi territory since the launch of the Saudi Arabian-led coalition in Yemen. Most of the missiles were intercepted over Yemeni air space, some of which in Saudi air space. The attacks proved high potency of the Saudi royal air defense forces, employing the MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.