Illustrative image, source: the Houthis media wing
On September 1, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it had intercepted four “booby-trapped” drones which were launched from Yemen by the Houthis (Ansar Allah).
According to the coalition, all four drones were shot down in Yemen’s airspace. The drones were likely on their way to strike targets inside Saudi Arabia.
“We are taking and implementing operational measures to protect civilians and civilian objects from hostile attacks,” the coalition said in a statement that was shared by the Saudi Press Agency following the interception of the first drone.
The drones were most likely intercepted by warplanes of the Royal Saudi Air Force with air-to-air missiles. Over the last few years, the coalition withdrew most of its air-defense systems from Yemen.
The Houthis stepped up their drone and missile strikes on Saudi Arabi and its proxies in Yemen in the last few days. Some of the recent strikes were very successful.
On August 29, more than 40 Saudi-backed Yemeni fighters were killed when the Houthis targeted al-Anad Air Base in the southern Yemeni province of Lahij with several missiles and a suicide drone. On August 30, several suicide drones launched by the Houthis hit Abha International Airport in the southern Saudi province f ‘Asir, wounding eight people and damaging at least one airliner.
The recent attacks highlight the Houthis’ growing offensive capabilities. The Saudi-led coalition is struggling to keep up with the group’s repeated attacks.