2018 Riyadh missile strike

Last updated

2018 Riyadh missile strike
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)
and the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Location
Date26 March 2018
Executed by Houthis
CasualtiesOne killed
Two injured

The 2018 Riyadh missile strike was a series of seven missiles launched into Saudi Arabia by Shiite Houthi rebels on 26 March 2018, targeting the King Khalid International Airport and other sites. Saudi forces claimed to have destroyed all seven missiles, three of them targeting Riyadh, two targeting Jazan, and one targeting Najran. [1] [2] However, according to Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at CNS, the Saudis failed to intercept the missiles following a malfunction of the MIM-104 Patriot system. [3] One video appeared to show a Patriot missile launch on Sunday night go rapidly wrong, with the missile changing course midair, crashing into a neighborhood in Riyadh and exploding. Another appeared to detonate shortly after being launched in the Saudi capital.

The news channel, Al Arabiya, aired footage that it said showed Patriot missile batteries firing at the incoming Houthi missiles. Online videos showed what appeared to be a missile fuselage lying on a street in Riyadh.

The UN Security Council condemned the attack. [4] An Egyptian man was killed and two others were wounded when a fragment of one of the missiles over Riyadh fell over a neighborhood. [5]

Al Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, identified some of the missiles fired as the Burkan, or Volcano missile. The United Nations, Western countries and the Saudi-led military coalition fighting in Yemen all said the Burkan mirrors characteristics of an Iranian Qiam ballistic missile. They said that suggests Iran either shared the technology or smuggled disassembled missiles to the Houthis, who then rebuilt them.[ citation needed ]

A spokesperson for the embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said "seven ballistic missiles were shot toward Saudi Arabia from within Yemen." A press conference was held the same day at 1 p.m. "to provide more details about this aggressive act." [6]

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The Houthi movement, officially known as Ansar Allah, is a Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. It is predominantly made up of Zaidi Shias, with their namesake leadership being drawn largely from the Houthi tribe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scud missile</span> Series of short-range ballistic missiles

A Scud missile is one of a series of tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was exported widely to both Second and Third World countries. The term comes from the NATO reporting name attached to the missile by Western intelligence agencies. The Russian names for the missile are the R-11, and the R-17Elbrus. The name Scud has been widely used to refer to these missiles and the wide variety of derivative variants developed in other countries based on the Soviet design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qiam 1</span> Iranian short-range ballistic missile

The Qiam 1 is a short-range ballistic missile designed and built by Iran. It was developed from the Iranian Shahab-2, a licensed copy of the North Korean Hwasong-6, all of which are versions of the Soviet Scud-C missile. The Qiam 1 entered service in 2010, with a range of 800 km (500 mi) and 100 m (330 ft) (CEP) accuracy.

The Ya-Ali is an air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) built by Iran. The missile was first unveiled on 11 May 2014 when Iranian leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visited the Aerospace Force of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution. According to Janes Defence, the missile has a jet engine inlet and possibly uses a version of the Toloue-4 turbojet Iran produces for its longer-range anti-ship missiles and it is reported to have a range of 700 km. On February 7, 2015, Iran's Deputy Defense Minister Mohammad Eslami announced that the missile could previously be launched from only Mirage type fighter planes but it can now be launched from every fighter plane that Iran owns. It is named after a Shi'i religious expression beseeching imam Ali. As an ALCM, the Ya-Ali is distinct from the ground launched cruise missiles (GLCMs) in the Houthi inventory. According to Jane's Defense Weekly, the Houthis may have used a Quds 1 GLCM in the Abha International Airport attack on 12 June 2019. This airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia is less than 200 km from the Yemeni border. The Iranian Ya-Ali has a much longer range due to being imparted with much more kinetic and potential energy when released from a fighter aircraft such as the Mirage type. The Houthis have no fighter aircraft in their inventory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yemeni civil war (2014–present)</span> Ongoing civil war in the state of Yemen

The Yemeni civil war is an ongoing multilateral civil war that began in late 2014 mainly between the Rashad al-Alimi-led Presidential Leadership Council and the Mahdi al-Mashat-led Supreme Political Council, along with their supporters and allies. Both claim to constitute the official government of Yemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war</span> Saudi war against Houthis in Yemen launched in 2015

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houthi–Saudi Arabian conflict</span> Armed conflict between the Houthi movement in Yemen and Saudi Arabia

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The following is a timeline of the Yemeni civil war, which began in September 2014.

The Burkan-2H, or Volcano-2H is a mobile short-range ballistic missile used by the Houthis militants in Yemen. The Volcano H-2 was first launched in July 2017. It is related to the Scud missile family.

The Burkan-1 or Volcano-1 is a mobile short-range ballistic missile used by the Houthis in Yemen. It is related to the Scud missile family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marib campaign</span> Campaign of the Yemeni Civil War

The Marib campaign, also called Marib offensive, is an ongoing military campaign taking place in the Yemeni civil war for the control of the Marib Governorate of Yemen. Fighting between the Houthi forces and factions of the Yemeni Army loyal to Supreme Political Council on one side, and Yemeni Army units loyal to president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and militiamen on the other side, took place since early 2015. Marib is rich in oil and gas resources and is a key strategic governorate because it connects the Houthi-controlled Sanaa and Alimi-controlled Hadhramaut governorates.

The Badr-1 210 mm is a Yemeni military, self-propelled, multiple rocket launcher; a type of rocket artillery, used by Houthis. It features a twin tube launcher mounted on a 6×6 truck.

The Abha International Airport attacks were cruise missile attacks carried out by the Yemeni Houthi rebels which occurred in June 2019. The attack targeted the arrivals hall of Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia and killed one civilian and injured 47 others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abqaiq–Khurais attack</span> Drone attack on Saudi oil processing facilities

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The 2020 Riyadh drone and missile attack was a cruise missile and drone attack carried out by the Yemeni Houthi rebels which occurred on 23 June 2020. The attack, according to the Houthis, targeted the King Khalid Airport and the Defense Ministry headquarters in Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh.

On 30 December 2020, a plane carrying members of the recently formed Yemeni government landed at Aden International Airport in the southwest of Yemen. As passengers disembarked, there were explosions and gunfire, leaving 28 people dead and 107 others injured. None of the passengers were hurt in the attack and the Yemeni cabinet members were quickly transported to Mashiq Palace for safety.

Events in the year 2021 in Saudi Arabia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Marib</span> Battle to capture last stronghold in North Yemen

The Battle of Marib is an ongoing battle that erupted since February 2021 following the advance of the Houthis towards the city of Marib, the capital of Marib Governorate in Yemen controlled by the Cabinet of Yemen.

The 2022 Abu Dhabi attack was an attack against three oil tanker trucks and an under construction airport extension infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates conducted by the Houthi movement using drones and missiles. Although several missiles and drones were intercepted, 3 civilians were killed and 6 were injured by a drone attack.

Events in the year 2022 in Saudi Arabia.

References

  1. "Saudi Arabia says 1 person killed in ballistic missile attack on Riyadh by Yemen rebels". The Washington Times. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  2. Scarsi, Alice (28 March 2018). "Middle East Crisis: Saudi Arabia bombarded with seven missiles over Riyadh".
  3. Lewis, Jeffrey (28 March 2018). "Patriot Missiles Are Made in America and Fail Everywhere". Foreign Policy .
  4. "UN condemns Al Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia". Agence France-Presse. 29 March 2018.
  5. Rashad, Marwa; Dadouch, Sarah; al-Ansi, Abdulrahman (28 March 2018). "Barrage of missiles on Saudi Arabia ramps up Yemen war". Reuters.
  6. "Saudi Arabia says Yemeni rebels fired ballistic missiles, killing 1 in Riyadh". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 13 April 2021.