Calling it an “act of war,” Saudi Arabia threatens retaliation after reports the Iranian made ballistic missile, fired by Iranian-backed rebels, was targeting the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

Saudi Arabia called the firing of a ballistic missile at the international airport in Riyadh from Yemen an “act of war” by Iran and vowed to retaliate Monday.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels fired the missile at Saudi Arabia over the weekend. The missile traveled over 500 miles before being shot down over Saudi Arabian territory.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis stands with Deputy Crown Price of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud before a bi-lateral meeting held at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Mar. 16, 2017. – DOD photo: WikimediaSgt./Amber Smith

The official Saudi Press Agency stated that the examination of the missile’s debris proved that the weapon had been manufactured in Iran and smuggled to rebels in Yemen.

The Saudi Press Agnecy stated that the firing of the missile was “a blatant act of military aggression by the Iranian regime and could rise to be considered as an act of war.”

Saudi Arabia “reserves its right to respond to Iran in the appropriate time and manner, in accordance with international law and based on the right of self-defense,” the press agency added.

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed al-Jubeir said in an interview with CNN: “We see this as an act of war. Iran can not lob missiles at Saudi cities and towns and expect us not to take steps.”

In the CNN interview, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir went on to accuse
the armed Lebanese Hezbollah group of firing the missile at Riyadh from
Houthi-held territory.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi called Saudi Arabia’s claims “false, irresponsible, destructive and provocative.”

The rise in tensions between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran comes just a few days after the arrest of dozens of Saudi Princes, senior military officers, businessmen, and other top officials in a sweeping crackdown on corruption in the kingdom by 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

View originla Arutz Sheva publication at:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/237764