Saudi Arabia intercepts missile strike from Yemen as coalition continues to lose ground

Esteban Carrillo-The Cradle 

New reports claim that Riyadh is hoping to convince Washington to return its advanced missile defense systems to the country

On 28 October, Saudi Arabia’s missile defense systems reportedly intercepted five ballistic missiles launched by the Yemeni army towards a military base in the southwestern city of Jazan.

This was the second attack on the base in the span of a week, as on 21 October at least 35 Saudi soldiers were injured following a similar strike.

The news comes amid reports that the kingdom has been trying to convince Washington to help them bolster their defense capabilities.

Just over a month ago, the US began to withdraw its advanced missile defense systems from Saudi soil in preparation for what the White House has deemed “a future conflict” with Russia and China.

Reports also indicate that the Biden administration has been pressing Riyadh to lift their blockade on ports controlled by the ruling Ansarallah movement, causing further tension between the historic allies.

Moreover, on 28 October, news broke that the Saudis’ main ally in Yemen, the UAE, have decided to pull their troops from a key coalition base in Shabwa provinces in response to protests by residents calling for coalition troops to leave.

Amid all these developments the Yemeni army has continued its advance in both Marib and Shabwa provinces, with Defense Minister Mohammad al-Atefi recently claiming that the defeat of the coalition “is only a matter of time.”

Since the Saudi-led invasion of Yemen began in 2015, the Arab world’s poorest country has been mired in violence which has left hundreds of thousands dead and millions more displaced.

As a result of this, in recent months, citizens in regions controlled by the Saudi-led coalition have been taking to the streets to demand an end to the occupation.