Saudi-led coalition says it intercepts two Houthi missiles fired towards Riyadh

The Saudi-led ​coalition in Yemen said on ​Tuesday it intercepted and ‌destroyed two ​missiles launched by Yemen's Houthis towards Riyadh, amid weeks of escalating hostilities between the kingdom and the ‌Iran-aligned group.

The coalition said its air defences destroyed a ballistic missile and a cruise missile fired at the Saudi capital. Saudi Civil Defence had earlier issued ‌an early-warning alert for Riyadh before the coalition announced the interceptions, later saying ‌the threat in the capital had passed.

In a separate statement, the coalition said that it had also intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia's ⁠southern region. Saudi ​Civil Defence ⁠had previously issued warning alerts for the southwestern cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait, before later ⁠saying the danger had passed.

Southern Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen, has repeatedly been hit ​by Houthi missile and drone attacks on military sites and energy infrastructure. Fighting ⁠between the Houthis and the coalition backing Yemen's internationally recognised government has intensified after the Houthis ⁠advanced ​in September towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic shipping chokepoint at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, across the Arabian Peninsula from ⁠the Strait of Hormuz.

The Houthis have stepped up strikes on Saudi airports, ports ⁠and oil facilities ⁠amid the wider US-Israeli war with Iran, while Saudi Arabia has carried out airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.