Yemeni conflict spills into Saudi Arabia

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, May 1 (UPI) -- Houthi rebels from Yemen attacked the city of Najran, Saudi Arabia, the first assault of Saudi territory since its involvement in the Yemen conflict.

Three Saudi troops were killed, as were "dozens" of Houthi rebels, Saudi officials said, as fighting crossed the border late Thursday and entered Najram province, site of a modern city of about a quarter million people. The Saudi Defense Ministry said border posts and control points were targeted in the attacks, which were defeated by airstrikes and grounds troops.

Earlier Thursday, a Saudi border guard died when a mortar shell was fired near the border with Yemen in the Saudi province of Jizan. He was the 17th Saudi soldier to die in the conflict.

Last week Saudi Arabia announced the end of a five-week aerial campaign, undertaken by a bloc of Arab countries, targeting Houthi positions within Yemen.