UAE condemns Houthi missile attack on Saudi Arabia

DUBAI, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday strongly condemned the "Iranian-made missile attacks" on Saudi Arabia carried out by the Houthi militias on Sunday, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

The Houthi missile attack was aimed at "terrorizing civilians and damaging infrastructure in the kingdom through attacks," the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affaris and International Cooperation was quoted by WAM.

The statement said these repeated attacks by the Houthi militias confirm "the need to stand firm against these hostile acts and call on the international community to do its duty to stop and prevent these acts in order to ensure the stability of the region."

The statement reiterated the position of the UAE on the side of the "brothers" in the kingdom, stressing that the security of Saudi Arabia is an integral part of national security and security of the region.

Yemeni Houthi rebels fired several long-range ballistic missiles toward four Saudi international airports on Sunday midnight, said a statement posted on the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency.

Saudi Arabia's air defense intercepted ballistic missiles late Sunday over the capital of Riyadh fired from Yemen by Houthis militias, Saudi state television reported.

Saudi television said Yemen's Houthis fired two missiles toward Saudi and Saudi air defense succeeded in intercepting one over Riyadh, and another over Jazan in the Saudi border with Yemen. Several loud explosions have been heard by local citizens in Riyadh.

The attack was not the first time that Houthis fired missiles toward Riyadh.

In November last year, the Saudi air defense shot down a ballistic missile fired by Houthis at Riyadh international airport.

In December 2017, the UAE denied the claims by Yemen's Houthi rebels about firing a ballistic missile at its nuclear plant under construction.

The Houthi rebels claimed then to have fired a cruise missile at the Barakah nuclear plant south-west of Abu Dhabi.

The UAE is part of a Saudi-led military coalition which has been fighting the Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen since March 2015. Sunday marked the third anniversary of the start of the Saudi-led intervention to support the internationally recognized Yemeni government under the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after the Houthis forced him into exile.

The war has killed more than 10,000 Yemenis, half of them civilians, and displaced over 3 million others, according to UN humanitarian agencies.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia have repeatedly blamed Houthi forces of obstructing humanitarian aid which was meant for Yemen's civil society. The Houthis have been occupying Yemen's capital and largest city Sanaa since September 2014. Enditem