Saudi-led coalition says it downed Houthi drone

By Mehmet Nuri Ucar and Hussein Mahmoud Ragab Elkabany

RIYADH (AA) - Saudi-led coalition forces announced late Thursday that they have downed a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels at Saudi Arabia.

In a statement, the coalition said Iran-backed Houthis launched the drone from Yemen’s capital city, Sanaa.

“The Houthis’ hostile initiative, which targets civilians, constitutes a violation of international human rights,” the coalition said, noting the drone targeted residential areas.

The authorities also denied Houthi claims of having targeted Abha International Airport in southern Saudi Arabia.

In recent months, Houthi rebels have claimed several drone attacks on Saudi airports near the country’s border with Yemen.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and several Arab allies launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

According to UN figures, Yemen is facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with more than 10 million people driven to the brink of famine.

*Writing by Sena Guler