Image source: Getty Images
Strong explosions were heard in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Sunday, following a warning of a hostile air threat, while the coalition announced the interception and destruction of three ballistic missiles and a cruise missile launched by the Ansar Allah group (Houthis) towards Riyadh and the eastern and southern regions.
The official spokesman for the coalition forces, Major General Turki Al-Maliki, said that the air defenses intercepted the missiles and destroyed them.
Al-Maliki later announced the interception and destruction of two cruise missiles in the Riyadh and Southern regions.
The Saudi Civil Defense had issued an early warning warning of a potential danger and “hostile air threat” in the Riyadh region, before a witness reported hearing several strong explosions in the capital.
Missile intercepted in the eastern region
On Sunday morning, the coalition announced the interception and destruction of a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards the eastern region of Saudi Arabia.
The coalition spokesman, Major General Turki Al-Maliki, said, “The air defenses intercepted the missile and destroyed it, while the Saudi Civil Defense announced that the danger had passed in Dammam, Dhahran, Abqaiq, and Al-Hofuf, after activating the alert through the national early warning platform in emergency situations.”
On Saturday, Al-Maliki announced the interception and destruction of a cruise missile fired by the Houthis towards the Riyadh region.
The Saudi Civil Defense announced, at dawn on Sunday, that the danger had passed in several areas in the oil-rich eastern region of the Kingdom, including Dhahran, which includes the headquarters of the giant Saudi oil company Aramco.
Most read end
The Civil Defense stated that the danger had also passed from Dammam, Abqaiq and Al-Ahsa Governorate.
The Eastern Province contains the majority of the Kingdom's oil and gas reserves, as well as the headquarters of Saudi Aramco, which was severely damaged in an attack in October.
33 people were killed in air strikes near Sanaa
Image source: EPA
An in-depth explanation of the most prominent events and topics, to help you understand the most important variables around you and their impact on your life
Episodes
End podcast
The death toll from Saudi raids on Sanaa Governorate has risen to 33 people, according to what the Houthi Ministry of Health and Environment reported on Saturday.
The ministry's official spokesman, Anis Al-Asbahi, stated that "the toll of the horrific massacre committed by the Saudi aggression in the village of Al-Shariya in the Bani Hashish district, east of the capital, Sana'a... rose to 33 martyrs and 39 wounded."
Saba Agency had previously reported that “Saudi enemy aircraft targeted citizens’ homes in the village of Al-Shariya, resulting in the martyrdom of 27 citizens, most of them women and children, and the injury of 36 others.”
Al-Masirah TV also reported that “27 citizens, most of them women and children, were martyred and dozens injured as a result of the Saudi enemy aircraft’s massacre of citizens’ homes in the village of Al-Shariya” in Sana’a Governorate.
Saba and Al-Masirah pointed out that the toll was issued by the Houthi Ministry of Health.
Saba Agency quoted a local source as saying, “Saudi enemy aircraft targeted six homes in the area with several raids, in addition to paramedics and the roads leading to the crime scene.”
A video clip broadcast by Al Masirah TV showed the bodies of dead and injured people, including children, being transported to a hospital to receive treatment and medical care. She indicated that they were killed and wounded by Saudi strikes in the Bani Hashish District.
Denying sending Syrian forces to Yemen
Yemeni officials linked to the government told Agence France-Presse on Saturday that Syria has begun deploying soldiers in Saudi Arabia and Yemen and intends to deploy more to support government forces and the coalition in confronting the Houthis.
In Damascus, a Syrian diplomatic source denied sending forces to Yemen “at the present time,” but confirmed the existence of cooperation agreements in the military field with Saudi Arabia that include training and exchange of experiences.
Riyadh and Damascus concluded - during a visit by the Syrian President in the transitional period, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, on Wednesday, to the Kingdom, where he met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - agreements and memorandums of understanding, some of which are in the field of "military cooperation."
Three military sources and an official in the Yemeni Ministry of Defense told AFP - who requested that their identities not be revealed - that hundreds of Syrian soldiers are now deployed on both sides of the Saudi-Yemeni border.
In turn, an official in the Yemeni Presidential Command Council told AFP: “It was agreed between the Syrian side and Saudi Arabia to send about 3,000 fighters to fight against the Houthis,” noting that this was agreed upon during Al-Shara’a’s last visit.
However, a Syrian diplomatic source denied to the official Syrian news agency SANA that forces were being sent to Yemen “at the present time.”
He said, "Talk about sending Syrian military forces to Yemen at the present time is baseless."
But he added: “The current military agreements with our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia fall within the framework of cooperation in the fields of training, exchange of expertise and military consultations, in a way that serves the national interests of both countries.”
Find out more
Short clips
End of short clips
