Saudi air defenses have downed a missile launched by Yemeni Houthi rebels against the city of Jizan, the state-run Al-Ekhbariya TV channel said. The attack took place several days after Houthi President of the Supreme Political Council Saleh al-Sammad was killed in an airstrike conducted by the Saudi-led coalition. His funeral is set to take place tomorrow.
READ MORE: Over 30 Civilians Killed in Yemen by Saudi-Led Airstrikes — Reports
The conflict between Houthi rebels and Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi began in 2014, when former President Ali Abdullah Saleh seized control of country's capital Sanaa due to political disagreements. The Houthis have seized control of Yemen's former capital Sanaa and most of the northern regions of the country, while presidential forces control the south.
Saudi Arabia and eight other Arab states announced in March 2015 that they would intervene in the situation in order to support President Hadi. According to 2017 UN estimates, some 10,000 Yemenis had been killed and 53,000 wounded since the Saudi-led coalition launched its operation.
READ MORE: Yemen Through the Conflict: Three Years of the Mideast's 'Forgotten' War (VIDEO)
On November 6, 2017 Saudi Arabia imposed a blockade on Yemen, accusing Iran of supplying the Houthi rebels with ballistic missiles. Iran denied all allegations. The blockade has distorted the supply of humanitarian aid, which along with the destruction of country's infrastructure as a result of the fighting, has led to massive famine, according to the UN.
