Saudi Says it Intercepted Scud Missile Fired from Yemen
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a Scud missile fired on its territory by rebel forces in neighboring Yemen early Saturday as momentum gathers for peace talks in Switzerland next weekend.
"The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces intercepted it with a Patriot missile," said a statement from the Saudi-led coalition which has been waging an air war against the rebels since March 26.
Coalition aircraft destroyed the launcher used in the 2:45 am (2345 GMT Friday) attack on the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait, said the statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
The missile was fired from south of the Huthi rebel bastion of Saada in Yemen's northern mountains, it added.
A pro-Huthi military spokesman told Yemen's rebel-controlled Saba news agency that the target was the Prince Khaled air base in Khamis Mushait.
There has been cross-border artillery and rocket fire into Saudi Arabia but virtually no missile attacks since the air war began.
The coalition has made destroying the missile capabilities of the Huthis and their allies a top priority of its bombing campaign.
The Scud launch came a day after rebel allies killed four Saudi troops in cross-border attacks clouding preparations for U.N.-brokered peace talks in Geneva on June 14.
almost 10 years
If this actually happened, it would be a first. They are excited about an antique scud missile being hit? SMH
10 years
Great hit/lesson to ballistic missiles based armies like Iran and alike. What they think is a super powerful weapon turns to be a nice to see fireworks show in the skies of KSA. Long live KSA and Lebanon.
10 years
The problem is a volley not a single missile.
Very interesting, this turns a leaf for US technology, the PAC 1 was useless against Missiles, the Pac 2 was half baked, this must be the Pac 3 with the SM3