Top US General, UAE Counterpart Discuss Houthi's Missile Attack on Air Base - Spokesman

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley and his UAE counterpart Lt. Gen. Hamad Muhammad Thani al-Rumaythi discussed Yemen Houthi rebels’ ballistic missile attack that targeted an air base near Abu Dhabi, Joint Staff spokesperson Col. Dave Butler said.
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"The military leaders discussed the recent Houthi terrorist attacks against the UAE as well as the security environment in the Middle East," Butler said in a statement on Monday. "The Chairman condemned both last night's attack as well as the January 17, 2022 attack publicly claimed by the Houthis."
Milley praised the United Arab Emirates' armed forces for successfully intercepting the missiles, especially a combined effort to prevent inbound missiles from impacting the al-Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi, which houses US service members, Butler said.
Earlier on Monday, the US Central Command said the United States successfully intercepted two missiles launched by the Houthis that were aimed at the air base.
Videos: UAE Air Defences Thwart Two Ballistic Missiles Targeting Abu Dhabi
The Houthis have conducted several drone attacks that targeted Abu Dhabi, killing three people and injuring six others. In response, the Saudi-led coalition, of which the UAE is a part, launched a campaign against the rebel group, targeting their warehouses and other infrastructure in Yemen.
Yemen has been gripped by a conflict fought between the government forces and the Houthi movement for over six years. Since 2015, the Saudi-led coalition fighting on the government's side has been conducting air, land and sea operations against the rebels. The Houthis have often retaliated by firing projectiles and bomber drones on Saudi territory. The United Nations has described the situation in Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
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