Saudi forces intercept Houthi scud missile

Mock missiles are mounted on a truck during an anti-Saudi demonstration by Houthi followers in Sanaa, Yemen, June 5, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]

RIYADH - The Saudi air defense on Saturday intercepted a scud missile fired by the Shiite Houthi group toward the southwestern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait, Al Arabiya news reported.

The air defense destroyed the projectile with a patriot missile and also destroyed a missile launch pad located in Yemen's northwestern city of Saada, the report quoted the Saudi Press Agency as saying.

The operation came a day after Saudi forces repelled an attack targeting the kingdom's southern city of Najran.

The Houthis group on Friday agreed to attend UN-brokered peace talks in Switzerland, as the exiled Yemeni government confirmed it would also attend the talks.

Conflict in Yemen has escalated in recent weeks, with Saudi-led coalition warplanes intensifying air strikes against positions of Yemen's Shiite Houthi group in the capital of Sanaa.

The Gulf countries tried to push for comprehensive peace talks between all the relevant Yemeni parties since the Houthis seized control of Sanaa in September 2014 that forced President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi to move his administration to Yemen's southern port city of Aden.

Saudi Arabia, along with eight other Arab states, have been bombing Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh since March 26, with the aim of reinstating Hadi's government.