Yemen: Saudi Arabia 'shoots down' Scud missile fired by Houthi rebels

Saudi Arabia has shot down a Scud missile which was fired across the border from Yemen by Houthi rebels and their allies, according to reports by the state Saudi Press Agency.

Earlier this morning the Scud – a weapon which dates back to the Cold War – was intercepted by a Patriot missile battery sited near the city of Khamis Mushait to the south-west of Saudi Arabia.

Yesterday four Saudi soldiers and an unknown number of Yemeni rebels died in fighting on the border, according to the Saudi-led coalition. It said that troops loyal to Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is backed by the Houthis, attacked several Saudi positions.

Scud missiles became famous during the first Gulf War, when Saddam Hussein's forces used the ground-to-ground missiles to launch attacks against Coalition forces, Saudia Arabia and Israel.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Houthis have said they will attend peace talks in Geneva. The UN-sponsored meeting is planned for 14 June. The Saudis have already stated they will attend.

The conflict began when Houthi rebels overthrew the US-supported Yemeni government in January. They are now in control of most branches of the government. Saudi Arabia has mounted an air campaign to drive the Houthis from Yemen. The war has so far claimed more than 2,000 lives.