Missile Shot Down in Saudi Arabia

A loud explosion was heard this morning in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as Saudi air defenses shot down a ballistic missile from Yemen.  The missile exploded over the capital and fragments landed on the King Khalid International Airport, though civil air services were not disrupted.  The missile reportedly came from the Houthi rebel group in Yemen, who have acquired a stash of Scud ballistic missiles as the war in Yemen has dragged on.  The Saudis have intercepted such attacks before, including one not long before US President Donald Trump was due to arrive in the capital, but none have come so close to their target before.

For almost three years Yemen has been racked by civil war between the internationally recognized government and the Houthi rebels, who say the government is illegitimate.  Saudi Arabia started a coalition to aid the official government, and these attacks are undoubtedly a retribution for the coalition bombing campaign that has destroyed many targets, though human rights groups say not all of them were military.  The war has claimed over 8,600 lives and caused over 50,000 injuries, and caused a public health crisis among the living.  Almost 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, food is running out, and to top it all off a cholera outbreak has infected almost a million people and killed over 2,100.  To be perfectly honest, why this civil war has received almost no media attention is quite beyond me.

As always, a link to the article:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-41872995

Steven Grant Weber