Saudi forces intercept ballistic missile fired by Huthis from Yemen

RIYADH: Yemeni rebels on Thursday claimed to have hit military target in Saudi Arabia with a ballistic missile in the second such attack this month, while Saudi Ministry of Defense said that the missile was intercepted, according to Arab media.

"Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces intercepted the missile which was heading towards Khamis Mushait," the Saudi Press Agency quoted the Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki as saying

Earlier, the Huthi-run Al-Masira television channel said "We confirm the success of our ballistic missile trial, which hit its military target inside Saudi Arabia."

Hours earlier in a speech broadcast on Al-Masira, rebel chief Abdulmalik al-Huthi warned against "prolonging the blockade" imposed on Yemen following a November 4 rebel missile attack that was intercepted near Riyadh international airport.

"Should the blockade continue, we know what (targets) would cause great pain and how to reach them," he said.

Saudi Arabia and its allies tightened the longstanding blockade on Yemen´s ports and the main international airport in Sanaa in the wake of the November missile attack.

Riyadh accuses its arch-rival Iran of arming Yemen´s Huthis and earlier this month Saudi Arabia´s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said this "could be considered an act of war".

Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of supplying the Huthis with arms.

Iran´s foreign ministry has denied the accusation.