Yemen: UAE soldier 'killed', Saudi Arabia intercepts scud missile

Yemen: UAE soldier 'killed', Saudi Arabia intercepts scud missile
A Houthi scud missile targeting a Saudi town was shot down by the Saudi Arabian army as fighting in Yemen claimed a new Emirati casualty
1 min read
14 February, 2016
Over 60 coalition troops were killed in an airbase attack in Yemen last September [AFP]
A Houthi scud missile heading towards a Saudi Arabian city was shot down, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

A statement issued by the Saudi-led coalition confirmed the missile was heading towards the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait before being intercepted.

The city, which has been targeted by the Houthi rebels on a number of occasions, is home to a major Saudi Arabian military base.

This is the third missile to be intercepted by the kingdom's air defence, according to the coalition.

Another scud missile was reportedly shot down on Tuesday.

Despite the claims, Yemen's Houthi rebel group said Saturday's missile "precisely hit its target."

Strategies to counter tactical ballistic missiles have been deployed by Riyadh in an attempt to protect the kingdom from Houthi attacks.

The rebel group has intensified its offensive towards Saudi Arabia since the coalition airstrikes began in March 2014.

The news comes following the announced death of a United Arab Emirates soldier who was killed while deployed on a mission in Yemen.

The UAE has not yet publicly identified the soldier and has not commented on details of the incident.