Yemen missile on Saudi Arabia repelled by missile shield

Saudi Arabia claims it has shot down a ballistic missile fired into the kingdom by Yemeni Houthi rebels, Saudi state media reported on Monday.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the missile was targeting the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait on Tuesday, however was destroyed without causing any injuries.

This comes as part of a recent barrage of Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, including two projectiles that were shot down on Tuesday that were destroed "above the Yemeni city of Maarib", Saudi daily The Arab News reported.

Missiles fired at a US navy destroyer in the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Sunday also prompted a bullish response from the Pentagon. 

"We want very much to get to the bottom of what happened. We're going to find out who did this and we'll take action accordingly," said Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis on Tuesday.

The Houthi rebels are known to have a stockpile of Soviet-era Scud missiles and locally designed variants.

These weapons have been fired into Saudi Arabia in response to the kingdom's war in Yemen, where it leads an Arab coalition fighting for the reinstatement of the government of President Abd Rrabbo Mansoor Hadi.

On Saturday, a missile one missile is reported to have gone as far as targeting a Saudi airbase near the Muslim holy city of Mecca.