The Royal Saudi Air Defense Force and Royal Saudi Air Force have intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched towards Jazan City, in addition to nine bomb-laden drones launched towards Jazan, Khamis Mushait, Taif, Yanbu and Dhahran Al Janub, said a statement by the official spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen.

 

“The terrorist, Iran backed Houthi militia has escalated its hostile, cross-border attacks towards the Kingdom last night and earlier this morning, targeting civilian objects and economic installations in a deliberate, systematic manner," said  Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki.

 

These hostile attacks by the terrorist Houthi militia is deliberately targeting civilian objects and economic installations, that are protected under the customary International Humanitarian Law, using ballistic missiles and bomb-laden drones. Initial investigations indicate that the militia has used (Iranian) cruise missiles that targeted Al Shuqaiq Water Desalination Plant and Aramco’s Jizan Bulk Plant, a Saudi Press Agency report said quoting the satement. 

 

The targeted locations also include the power transmission station in Dhahran Al Janub, the National Gas and Industrialization Company’s Khamis Mushait Gas Station and Aramco’s Liquified Gas Plant in Yanbu. These hostile attacks and scattered debris as a result of their interception caused some material damages to the facilities, civilian vehicles and civilian houses, and no loss of life was recorded until the issuance of the statement.

 

"These brutal attacks are a dangerous escalation. They also represent the terrorist Houthi militia’s position in regards to the invitation extended by the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council in order to host inclusive Yemeni-Yemeni consultations, and underline the militia’s approach of rejection towards all international efforts and initiatives, including the Saudi Initiative, and reaching a comprehensive and sustainable political resolution to end the Yemeni crisis," he said.

 

An official spokesman at the Ministry of Energy said two drone attacks were made today (March 20) at around 5:30am on Yanbu’s natural gas plant and on the facilities of Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company (Yasref).

 

The assault on Yasref facilities led to a temporary reduction in the refinery’s production, which will be compensated for from the inventory. The assaults resulted in no casualties, it said.

 

On Saturday, at around 11:30pm a drone assault was made on the petroleum products distribution terminal in Jizan in the south east of the kingdom.

 

The spokesman stressed that the kingdom strongly condemns these attacks and said that such acts of sabotage and terrorism, repeatedly committed against vital installations and civilian facilities, including, for example, the recent attack on the Riyadh refinery, are cowardly assaults that violate international laws and norms and do not just target the kingdom alone, but the security and stability of energy supply to the world, therefore targeting the global economy.

 

In addition, some of these attacks affect maritime traffic in a important area - the Red Sea and its important coasts and territorial waters, with potentially serious environmental consequences.

 

The spokesman renewed the kingdom's call to all nations and organizations of the world to stand together against such acts of sabotage and terrorism by groups perpetrating or supporting these attacks.

 

An official source at the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) stated that a terrorist attack by the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist militia targeting the water desalination system in Al-Shaqeeq did not affect the production and supply of desalinated water.

 

The source added that the damage is currently being repaired by the specialized maintenance teams who dealt with the incident with full professionalism.