JEDDAH: Saudi-led forces shot down a ballistic missile on Thursday morning launched from Sanaa by Houthi forces and those allied to deposed Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
The roar of the missile, believed to be a Scud, was heard kilometers away and was apparently launched from Attan or Al-Nahdain, according to a Yemeni website.
After the Saudi-led coalition shot down the rocket in the Yemeni province of Umran, it responded with airstrikes targeting Al-Nahdain camp, where the launch had apparently taken place, eyewitnesses reportedly said.
A powerful Cold War-era weapon, the Scud had been launched at Saudi Arabia by Houthi forces at least three times before, but was shot down by Patriot missiles, according to reports.
Meanwhile, the coalition forces launched other missiles at Houthi military sites. Local sources said the shelling targeted areas near Taiz airport and those of the Republican Guard in Al-Jund.
This comes after sources reportedly told an Arab news channel that 15 Houthi members were killed and 22 injured in confrontations with the popular resistance in Taiz.
The rebels had launched missiles at targets in the liberated southern border areas of Taiz. These strikes were part of an attempt by the Houthis to widen the war zone in Taiz.
Meanwhile, UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson said on Thursday he hoped UN-backed peace talks to end the conflict in Yemen could start by the end of October.
Eliasson, speaking to a Geneva news conference after talks in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iran, called for both Houthi fighters and the government to attend the talks without pre-conditions.
"We have been disappointed before, Geneva talks started but not much came out of it," he added.