The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Tuesday that its air defences intercepted and destroyed two missiles launched by Yemen's Houthis towards Riyadh, as hostilities between the kingdom and the Iran-aligned group continue to escalate.

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

The announcement came amid weeks of intensifying attacks across the region, with the Houthis stepping up strikes on Saudi airports, ports and oil facilities while the wider war between the United States, Israel and Iran continues.

Third missile aimed at southern region

In a separate statement, the coalition said 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 south-western cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait, before later saying the danger there had passed.

No casualties were reported in connection with Tuesday's interceptions. The claims were made by the coalition and have not been independently verified.

Weeks of escalation

Fighting between the Houthis and the coalition backing Yemen's internationally recognised government has intensified since 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 infrastructure in recent weeks, including attacks on facilities belonging to the state oil company Aramco. On Sunday, debris from an intercepted attack damaged an Aramco administrative building in Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District, according to the Saudi Energy Ministry. No injuries were reported, and a senior Riyadh official later inspected the damaged building. Saudi Arabia, in turn, has carried out air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.

Southern Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen, has repeatedly been hit by Houthi missile and drone attacks on military sites and energy infrastructure during the long-running conflict.

What happens next

There was no immediate claim of responsibility from the Houthis for Tuesday's launches, and no further statement from the coalition on whether additional interceptions followed.

The incident underlines how the war in Yemen has become entangled with the wider regional confrontation, with Houthi attacks on Saudi territory continuing alongside the standoff between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear programme and the Strait of Hormuz.