Turkey condemns missile attacks on Saudi capital

Turkey on Tuesday condemned missile attacks targeting the Saudi capital Riyadh, reports Anadolu Agency.

“It has been learned that Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, has been the target of missile attacks for the second time in the last three days,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement.

“We strongly condemn these attacks, which have targeted civilian settlements and appear to have been neutralised by Saudi air defense systems,” it added.

The statement conveyed condolences to the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia.

According to Saudi media, an explosion hit Riyadh on Tuesday. Social media users shared images of a ballistic missile that was neutralised in the air. No official statement has been made on the matter yet.

On Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition in neighboring Yemen said it shot down an air target fired towards Riyadh. The coalition gave no further details, but Saudi media said the target was a missile fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

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There was no comment from Houthi groups on the report.

The Iranian-aligned rebels have repeatedly announced rocket and drone attacks on Saudi territories in response to what they call the Saudi-led assault on Yemen.

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 the Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

Saudi quagmire in Yemen – Cartoon [Carlos Latuff/MiddleEastMonitor]