Saudi Arabia warns Iran against supplying missiles to Houthis

Saudi Arabia on Monday accused Iran of supplying ballistic missiles to the Houthi rebels in Yemen and called it a blatant act of military aggression.

In a statement, the command of Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces in Yemen, said that an analysis of the remains of the missiles that were launched on Saturday against Riyadh confirmed they were made in Iran, reports Efe news.

"The coalition command considers this a blatant act of military aggression by the Iranian regime and could be considered an act of war against the kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

The spokesperson for the Arab coalition Turki Almalik, had claimed on Sunday that the ballistic missile attack against Riyadh was manufactured in Iran.

The statement stressed it is Saudi Arabia's legitimate right to defend its territory and people according to the UN charter and to respond to Iran at an appropriate time and manner.

Following the missile attack by the rebels, the coalition forces also decided to temporarily shut down all land, air and sea ports in Yemen.

On Saturday, the Houthi rebels had launched a ballistic missile against Riyadh that was intercepted near the Saudi capital by the armed forces.

The rebel-controlled Yemeni news agency SABA had said the missile was targeted at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

The Shiia Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, frequently fire shells at the Saudi Arabian border near the frontier, and on several occasions, have launched ballistic missiles that fell close to Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia leads the coalition of Sunni Arab countries that have been intervening in the Yemen conflict since March 2015 in support of Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.

--IANS

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