Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – A Yemeni group of rebels belonging to the Houthis said that they had fired a volley of ballistic missiles toward some cities in Saudi Arabia late Sunday. The cities, they said, includes, Riyadh, where at least one person was killed by shrapnel according to a statement by the Yemeni Group and Saudi Press Agency.

The military of Saudi announced interception of atleast seven missiles, which includes three, targeting Riyadh, where red missile trails were easily visible in the night sky amid loud boom noise. The claim by the military was not immediately confirmed. Videos over the social media appeared to show a projectile which may be probably a Patriot Missile sent to intercept the rebel fire. And it crashed in a very short period of time after the launch.

The rebel group, who are called as Houthis, fired a ballistic missile into territory of Saudi over many times since the past three years. They started attacking Saudi after a civil war broke out in Yemen that has pitted the rebels and their allies against Yemeni factions aligned with a Saudi-led military coalition. Saudi and U.S. officials have time and again accused Iran of supplying missiles and other weapons to the Houthis, a charge the government in Tehran has denied.

The multipronged attack on Sunday — targeting cities in southwestern Saudi Arabia, which is near the border with Yemen, as well as Riyadh — reflected a sharp escalation of the ongoing Houthi campaign. It imperiled a fledgling effort by a recent new U.N. envoy to broker peace talks to put an end the war and seemed certain to provoke a furious Saudi response.

The attack came after a three year war between the two Arab nations, Saudi and Yemen. The coalition, including the partner, United Arab Emirates, has been condemned by human rights group for carrying out an air campaign that has killed thousands of Yemeni civilians. This resulted in enforcing a blockage that has helped cause a vast humanitarian crisis. The United States helps Saudi-led coalition with military and intelligence assistance.

At about 11:28 p.m., loud explosions could be heard across Riyadh, as projectiles — which was apparently part of a Patriot missile defense system — could be seen streaking upward, until a puff of smoke was clearly visible in the sky. More loud booms followed soon.

Fragments that fell on a house killed at least one person and injured two others — all Egyptian nationals, the Saudi Press Agency said.

The attack came as Saudi Arabia’s powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is on a coast-to-coast visit of the United States which aims to court investors and showcasing what Saudi officials say is an ambitious reform program at home.

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