RIYADH: Saudi air defences intercepted a ballistic missile fired at thekingdom by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Monday, state media reported.

The attack was launched from Yemen’s northern governorate of Saada, aHouthi stronghold, and “intercepted” at 7:23 local time, Colonel Turkial-Maliki told state news agency SPA.

Maliki, the spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition supporting thegovernment in Yemen, said the missile was headed toward the city of KhamisMushait – about 160 kilometres north of the border.

Riyadh had warned that “Iranian-manufactured ballistic weapons” threatenedthe kingdom’s security following an attack it said was intercepted nearRiyadh airport in November.

Maliki on Monday accused the Houthis of “repeatedly targeting denselypopulated cities” and accused the kingdom’s regional rival Iran ofdelivering the weapons to the insurgents.

The coalition has been blacklisted by the UN for the killing and maiming ofchildren in air raids on Yemen.

The United States, which backs the Saudi campaign against the Houthis, hasalso accused Iran of being at the origin of the ballistic missiles, acharge denied by Tehran.

Russia said last week that evidence presented by the US was inconclusive,signalling it would oppose a bid to slap UN sanctions on Tehran.

More than 9,200 people have been killed since the Saudi-led alliance joinedthe Yemen war in March 2015, according to the World Health Organisation,triggering what the United Nations has called the world´s worsthumanitarian disaster.