S Arabia intercepts new Yemen missile

RIYADH: Saudi air defences on Thursday intercepted a ballistic missile over the southern city of Jizan after it was fired from rebel-held territory in neighbouring Yemen, a Saudi-led military coalition said. Debris from the missile landed in residential areas of Jizan without causing casualties, coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said in a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency. Yemen´s Huthi rebels claimed the attack via their news outlet Al-Masirah, saying the “Badr 1” missile had targeted Jizan´s port. The insurgents have in recent months ramped up missile attacks against neighbouring Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition against them. Another rebel missile was intercepted over Jizan on Monday and two rebel missiles targeted the southern city of Khamis Mushait, according to Maliki, who said there were no casualties. Saudi Arabia earlier this month tested a new siren system for the capital Riyadh and the oil-rich Eastern Province, in a sign of the increasing challenge posed by the rebels´ arms.