Yemen's Houthis launch new drone attacks on Saudi airports

Yemen's Houthi rebels have launched a series of drone attacks on Saudi airports, the group claimed on Monday.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saria said the rebels had launched armed drones from southern Yemen towards King Khalid airbase and Abha and Najran airports, all in southern Saudi Arabia.

Saria said the drone "hit its targets" at Abha airport, and caused disruption to air traffic in areas close to the Yemen border. Saudi Arabia later said its air defences intercepted Yemeni rebel drones.

The Saudi-led coalition said the strikes were "simultaneous" but did not specify the targets or number of drones intercepted.

The Houthis carried out a deadly drone and missile attack on an anti-Houthi military camp near Aden last week, Yemen's second city, which is controlled by pro-government forces and southern separatist groups.

The Houthis have stepped up their cross-border attacks into Saudi Arabia, while Riyadh has led a bloody air campaign in Yemen.

Nine civilians were wounded when the rebels attacked Abha airport last month, which has been repeatedly hit in other drone attacks.

Thousands of civilians have been killed since the Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen's civil war in March 2015, after Houthi forces captured the capital Sanaa six months earlier.

Tensions have heightened between the US - a key ally of Saudi Arabia - and Iran - which backs the Houthis - after Washington pulled out of a nuclear deal with Tehran, leading to a series of attacks on shipping.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying sophisticated weapons to the Houthis, although Tehran denies this.