The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen says its air defences intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile launched by the Houthi movement towards the Riyadh region.

Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said in a post on X that the missile was targeting the Riyadh region. No casualties or damage were reported.

The announcement came a day after the coalition reported intercepting and destroying two drones over the Riyadh and Makkah regions. Earlier on Friday, Saudi air defences also shot down two ballistic missiles targeting the southern province of Najran, and another drone over the Makkah region.

A widening aerial campaign

The Houthis, who control the Yemeni capital Sanaa and large parts of northern Yemen, have stepped up missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports, energy facilities and cities in recent weeks. The Saudi-led coalition, which has backed Yemen's internationally recognised government since 2015, has answered with air strikes on Houthi-held territory.

The fighting has intensified sharply since July, when the coalition bombed Sanaa International Airport, and the 2022 truce between the Houthis and the Yemeni government collapsed. Saudi Civil Defence has repeatedly issued alerts in cities including Abha, Taif and Najran as projectiles have been intercepted overhead.

The Houthis say their cross-border attacks are aimed at Saudi energy and military infrastructure. They have denied targeting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, after the coalition accused them of launching drones towards the Mecca region.

The latest interception underlines how the war in Yemen has spilled deep into Saudi territory. Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport was struck by a missile on 10 October, and airlines have suspended or cut services to the Saudi capital for weeks. The coalition has warned civilians to stay away from airports and military sites, while the Houthis have warned civilians away from Riyadh airport.