Saudi Royal Air Defense Forces Intercept and Destroy Ballistic Missile Launched towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Colonel Turki Al-Maliki, the Spokesman for the Coalition Forces to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, announced that today at approximately 1:39 P.M.; the Coalition Air Defense Forces monitored a ballistic missile launched from the Yemeni territories into the Kingdom's territories.  The Spokesman highlighted in a statement that the missile was indiscriminately launched towards Riyadh; targeting civilian populated areas. He concluded that the missile was intercepted, south of Riyadh, without any damage or loss of life.

"This hostile and indiscriminate act by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia proves the continued involvement of the Iranian regime in supporting Houthi armed groups with tangible capabilities, which is a clear and blatant defiance of UN Res. 2216 and UN Res. 2231. [These acts] aim to threaten the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as, regional and international security. Launching ballistic missiles towards populated cities and villages is a violation of international humanitarian law." Col. Al-Maliki added.

Colonel Al-Maliki also called upon the international community to take serious and effective steps to stop the blatant Iranian violations of transferring ballistic weapons to terrorist and rogue groups and to hold Iran accountable for their support and defiance of violating international values.

SOURCE Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Information Office