Saudi troops deployed in Najran on Yemen border

The elite Saudi Arabia National Guard has been sent to the Najran region to defend the kingdom’s border with Yemen after several Yemeni Houth rebel cross-border attacks left a number of Saudi soldiers and officers dead – retalition for Saudi air strikes. The force deployed includes a mechanized infantry brigade, artillery, air defense, reconnaissance, engineering logistics and anti-armor units, according to the Saudi Press Agency. DEBKAfile, which last week reported Saudi military preparations to defend its border with Yemen, adds that many Najran inhabitants belong to the Shite Ismaili sect and are close to the Yemeni Zaydi Shiites. Riyadh does not trust them not to collaborate with Yemeni rebel intruders.