On November 17, the Saudi-led coalition air defense systems tracked and intercepted three “ballistic missiles,” which had been launched by the Houthis, over the central Yemeni province of Ma’rib, according to the UAE-based al-Arabiya TV.
Local sources confirmed al-Arabia’s claims and published photos of the “missiles’” remains. The photos revealed that the attack was carried out with the Badir-1 artillery rocket or its guided copy, the Badir-1P. Both rockets are based on the Iranian Fajr-5.
سقوط بقايا احد الصواريخ الحوثية في مخيم الجفينة ب #مارب المزدحم بالنازحين الفارين من بطش المليشيا الحوثية، وحالة من الهلع والخوف بين الاطفال والنساء في المخيم المقام من المنازل المصنوعة من مادة الزنك#الحوثية_حركة_ارهابية pic.twitter.com/R1bYclgkzd
— معمر الإرياني (@ERYANIM) November 17, 2018
The Yemeni Missile Force [loyal to the Houthis] did not release any statement regarding the incident or the Saudi-led coalition’s claims, likely because the attack failed.
However, Pro-Houthi sources confirmed that several rockets were launched at two camps of the Saudi-led coalition and its Yemeni proxies in Ma’rib. According to the sources, the rockets targeted more than 40 military vehicles, which had arrived in the camps earlier.
كان عادها وصلت #مأرب كلها جدد
لكن رجال الله ما قصروا
دقوها pic.twitter.com/ur0LD6YaGH— محمد ابونايف (@mohd10781) November 17, 2018
A day earlier, the Houthis attempted to attack a camp of the Saudi-led coalition in Ma’rib with Qasef-1 armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). However, the coalition shot down the UAV before it reached its target.
Both attacks were a clear attempt by the Houthis to distract attention of the Saudi-led coalition, which is preparing to resume its offensive on the strategic city of al-Hudaydah on the western Yemeni coast.
