Coalition intercepts Houthi drone launched from Amran

A picture taken on June 19, 2018 shows debris of Iranian-made Ababil drones displayed Abu Dhabi, which the Emirati armed forces say were used by Houthi rebels in Yemen in battles against the coalition forces led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. (AFP/File Photo)
Updated 17 August 2019
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Coalition intercepts Houthi drone launched from Amran

  • Houthi device intercepted over Yemeni territory
  • The incident follows a similar attack on Tuesday and marks latest in string of Houthi drone launches

RIYADH: Coalition forces fighting the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen said a drone launched on Friday from Amran was intercepted.

It follows a similar attack on Tuesday, which coalition spokesman Colonel Turki Al-Maliki denied was targeting Abha Airport in southern Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis, who control Sana’a, have stepped up attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia in recent months. In response, the coalition has targeted military sites belonging to the group, especially around Sana’a.


Rainfed agriculture booms 1,100% under Saudi rural development initiative

Updated 28 December 2025
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Rainfed agriculture booms 1,100% under Saudi rural development initiative

  • It is one of eight agricultural segments receiving program support

RIYADH: The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, known as Saudi Reef, has announced exceptional growth in its rainfed crops sector, one of eight agricultural segments receiving program support, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The sector has registered extraordinary expansion, surpassing 1,100 percent, with participant numbers climbing to over 13,300 beneficiaries nationwide.

Program spokesman Majed Al-Buraikan identified rainfed agriculture as a cornerstone of Saudi Reef’s achievements, highlighting its role in boosting production efficiency, bolstering food security and self-reliance, enabling sustainable farming in water-scarce regions, and raising income levels and quality of life for smallholder farmers — all consistent with Vision 2030 priorities.

Al-Buraikan outlined the program’s principal aims, including broadening the agricultural production foundation, securing food independence across multiple crop categories, enhancing smallholder farmer prosperity and employment prospects to foster social cohesion, and safeguarding environmental and natural resources throughout rural Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Reef extends support and technical assistance across eight distinct sectors: honey production, fruit cultivation, coffee production, rose farming, rainfed crops, livestock raising, artisanal fishing, and value-added agricultural products.