Missile Intercepted over Riyadh Lights up Night Sky

Saudi Arabian troops intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at the capital city of Riyadh on Monday, according to the authorities.

In reaction to the attempted attack, the coalition fighting for Yemen’s government warned it would "strike with an iron hand within the framework of international humanitarian law."

The Saudi-led coalition announced an offensive against the Houthi rebel group, which fires missiles into Saudi Arabia from across the border on a regular basis.

Residents in the capital reported hearing a tremendous blast, and videos purporting to be from the city showed glowing orbs lighting up the sky as the missile was intercepted by Saudi surface-to-air missiles.

Earlier on Monday, the coalition said that in the span of 24 hours, it had carried out 47 airstrikes against Houthi targets in Marib, Yemen.

The Houthis have launched a year-long assault on Marib, which is home to Yemen’s largest gas fields. The city is the internationally recognized government’s last stronghold.

Three million people live in Marib, including almost one million who fled other parts of Yemen when the Houthis overthrew the government in Sanaa in late 2014, forcing the Saudi-led coalition to invade.

According to the UN migration agency, IOM, the number of displaced people in camps in the province has increased nearly 10-fold since September, with more than 45,000 people abandoning their homes as Houthi forces intensify their onslaught.