Saudi-led coalition downs Houthi drone: Report

Coalition forces intercept drone in southwestern city of Najran

ISTANBUL: Saudi-led coalition forces announced downing a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels toward a residential area in Saudi Arabia, according to local media.

The Saudi Press Agency reported that Arab coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Maliki said the coalition forces intercepted the drone in the southwestern city of Najran.

Houthi attacks on civilian settlements violate international law and the unilateral cease-fire announced on April 9 by the coalition, al-Maliki stressed.

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

The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

Tens of thousands of Yemenis, including civilians, are believed to have been killed in the conflict, which has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis as millions remain at risk of starvation.