By Mohamed Fahd

RIYADH

Saudi air defenses on Friday intercepted what they described as a “ballistic missile” fired into the kingdom’s Jizan region by Yemen’s Houthi rebel group, according to Saudi media reports.

Yemen’s Houthi-run Al-Masira television channel appeared to confirm the report, saying Houthi fighters had targeted the Jizan Airport with a “ballistic missile” fired from Yemeni territory.

According to official Saudi statements, the kingdom’s air defenses have intercepted 18 such missiles within the past 25 days.

Yemen has been wracked by violence and chaos since 2014, when Shia Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including capital Sanaa.

The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-Arab allies -- who accuse the Houthis of serving as Iranian proxies -- launched a massive air campaign in Yemen aimed at rolling back Houthi gains.