Using mortar and randomly-launched Katyusha rockets, Houthi militias targeted today some schools and a field hospital in Najran with a shower of shelling, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Hasan Asiri, the Spokesman of Coalition Forces and Advisor at the Office of the Minister of Defense, announced, adding that this behavior of the Houthis falls in line with our expectations out of such a militia, as a retaliation to the Coalition Command offer yesterday to discuss humanitarian works and aid and to halt operations for specific periods, to realize humanitarian works' initiative. Brig. Gen. Asiri, in an interview with Al-Arabia satellite channel added that this action goes in tandem with their total rejection of the UN resolution No. 2216 and we don't expect otherwise from such militias, which lack any political approach or platform, for such militias have only one goal, that is killing for the sake of killing. I would like to reassure the citizenry, he said, both in Najran and the Kingdom-wide, that the situation is under control and the Land Forces and Border Guard are embarking in their tasks, retaliating to the sources of fire to eliminate whoever dares to approach Saudi border. The Air Force, he added, is playing its role, as such acts would not go without reprisal, henceforth, we emphasize that the Coalition Initiative, which has been announced yesterday, on the issue of humanitarian works, don't by any means, be translated as stopping works that back up the safety and security of the Kingdom border or the security and safety of the Yemeni citizenry, he said, indicating that such acts are expected and we will keep answering them with resolute, because among the goals of the Operation Restoring Hope is to confront Houthi militias acts, and that the reprisal will be parallel to it. On reports that there were martyrs and injured ones, Brig. Gen. Asiri remarked that God Grace that there were no casualties, inside the city, however there are some casualties, in the Field Hospital, and that a detailed statement will be issued, later in the day, by the Ministry of Defense, to point out the kind of casualties. For the time being, we assure the citizens in Najran, that due to the position of the city which is adjacent to the Yemeni border, indirect fires could hit inhabitants' houses, but the Armed Forces is doing its duty to prevent repetition of such acts. This act will not pass without an appropriate answer, he explained, that as we have told you those who are approaching the Saudi border are suicide-bombers, because they don't have the stamina to return as they will be destroyed, on the spots of their positions and that the Armed Forces will undertake its duties, in all fields, to continue defending the safety and security of the Saudi border. -- More 21:14 LOCAL TIME 18:14 GMT تغريد
