DUBAI: The Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen said it launched a missiletargeting a facility of oil firm Aramco in Asir in southwestern SaudiArabia, Houthi-run media al-Masirah TV and SABA reported on Tuesday.

Following the report, an Aramco official told Reuters that the company’sfacilities were “safe and are operating normally.”

SABA quoted a Houthi military source as saying the group had fired a Badr-1missile “at Aramco” in Asir’s capital Abha.

There was no immediate comment from the Saudi government.

Saudi state TV had earlier said that Saudi air defenses had intercepted aHouthi missile launched on the city of Khamis Mushait, which is also inAsir.

The Houthis have stepped up missile launches at Saudi cities in recentmonths, most of which have been intercepted by Saudi air defense forces.

A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Houthi movement in Yemen sinceit intervened there in 2015 to restore the internationally recognisedYemeni government in exile.