Saudi Arabia says it shot down six ballistic missiles, blames Houthis

Saudi Arabia's armed forces say they have shot down six ballistic missiles headed towards the Saudi port city of Yanbu and the southwestern city of Taif, accusing the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen of launching the missiles.

The information about the shootdowns comes on the same day that the country's civil defence issued a warning of a potential missile threat in several areas of the country, including Islam's holiest city, Mecca.

Last week, Saudi Arabia said that it had shot down a drone heading towards Mecca and accused the Houthi movement of being behind it - something the group denied.