Saudi Arabia-Four Houthi attacks target kingdom, no casualties

Cairo, March 20 (Reuters) – The Saudi-led coalition said on Sunday that Shiite Houthi rebels had carried out four attacks on the kingdom, causing property damage but no casualties.

According to the official Saudi agency, the attacks targeted a water desalination plant in al-Saqqiq, the Aramco Jizan installation, a power plant in the city of Zahran al-Janob and the Kamis Moussat gas installation.

According to state television Al Eqbariya, citing the coalition, three drones targeting economic targets were intercepted. Al-Ekbariya reports that the coalition has also foiled an attack on the Aramco Yanbu liquefied natural gas plant.

The coalition, which has been intervening militarily in Yemen since 2015, said the recent Houthi attacks targeting civilian and economic facilities were a response to calls from the Gulf states for talks.

Two Gulf officials told Reuters on Tuesday that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) plans to invite Yemeni parties, including the Houthis, to scheduled consultations in Riyadh this month. (Reporting by Moataz Mohamed, Yasmin Hussein and Omar Fahmy; French version by Camille Raynaud)