Houthis say drone squadron attacked Saudi capital

Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Houthi-controlled Yemen forces said Monday it used a squadron of drones to strike "important military targets" in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.

The Iran-backed Houthis said the drone strikes occurred Monday afternoon, one day after the same militia conducted a missile attack against King Abdullah bin Abulaziz Airport in the Saudi port city of Jazan.

Yemeni Brig. Gen. Yahya Sharee said Houthi forces and allied fighters carried out the strikes to weaken Saudi military strongholds. Saree said dozens were killed and injured.

A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition said the alliance shot down a drone in Yemeni airspace that was heading for Saudi Arabia.

Saudi officials dismissed the claim of Sunday's airport attack, which said hangars of Saudi warplanes and Apache attack helicopters were targeted. The coalition said it shot down six ballistic missiles fired by Houthi rebels.

"Its hostile and terrorist acts have been rated as war crimes according to the humanitarian international law, confirming that the joint forces of the coalition continue to take strict and deterrent measures to neutralize and destroy these capabilities," Saudi Col. Turki Al-Maliki said.