The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's steps to defend itself against rockets and projectiles launched by Houthi Militias enjoyed an international support where a number of Arab, Islamic and friendly countries have expressed their stand by the Kingdom in these steps and stressed that targeting of cities and civilians by Houthis in control of Yemeni capital of Sanaa directly gives the Kingdom a right to respond to any threat with all possible means. In October 2016, Houthi militias targeted Makkah region with a ballistic missile, but it was intercepted and destroyed by the Saudi Air Defense Forces 65 kilometers away from Makkah, Muslims most holliest site, without any damage. According to sources, about 700 Saudi and expatriate civilians martyred or wounded, including 80 martyrs in the southern cities of the Kingdom, out of them 20 children and nine women were among the martyrs, particularly in Najran and Jizan regions due to projectiles targeting houses, schools, and public facilities. The Houthi and ousted Saleh militias fired more than 40,000 projectiles across the border since beginning of the war. --More
