Saudi coalition says it intercepted Houthi drones and missiles bound for Saudi Arabia

A Saudi-led coalition said on Saturday that it had intercepted drones and missiles launched by the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels towards Saudi Arabia.

Colonel Turki Al-Maliki, a spokesperson for the Coalition Force, said early Saturday that they were "monitoring and tracking missile and drone threats directed at the Kingdom."

He later announced that air defences had shot down two drones launched by Yemen's Houthis towards the Riyadh area as well as two ballistic missiles targeting the city of Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia in July and have since been launching increasing attacks on Saudi cities and shipping, further heightening tensions in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia has hit back with its own strikes on the group but has failed to stop it from seizing large stretches of territory in Yemen this month.

On Friday, the Houthis said Saudi warplanes had launched 14 airstrikes and missile attacks over the previous 24 hours against the areas of Taiz, Amran, Marib, and Saada in Yemen.

According to the United Nations, more than 122,000 people have been displaced by the escalation of conflict across Yemen. Between 6 August and 18 September, 674 people died and 2,998 were injured amid the conflict, the organisation reported earlier this week.