RIYADH, Saudi Arabia

The Saudi-led Arab coalition intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. 

The coalition said in a statement late on Thursday that the drone was launched from Yemen’s capital Sanaa towards the Saudi city of Abha.

"All attempts to launch drones are doomed to fail," the coalition said. It did not disclose details about whether the plane crashed in Saudi or Yemeni territory.

Earlier on Thursday, Houthis claimed that they targeted the Saudi Abha International Airport and disrupted aviation movement there. The coalition denied the statement.

Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition against the Houthi rebel group, which overran much of Yemen -- including capital Sanaa -- a year earlier.

The Houthis have increasingly used drones to target southern Saudi Arabia. Recently, two drones hit the Abha airport, killing one person and wounding more than 30.

* Writing by Mahmoud Barakat