CAIRO (AP) — Six ballistic missiles targeting Saudi Arabia 's port of Yanbu on the Red Sea and the southwestern city of Taif have been intercepted, a Saudi military spokesperson said Thursday.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility from the Iran-backed Houthis in neighboring Yemen, who in recent days have been blamed for attempted attacks on the kingdom, including on Riyadh, the Saudi capital.

The Associated Press could not immediately verify the claim by Saudi Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, who is also the spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi rebels. His statement followed alerts by Saudi civil defense authorities, who later noted the danger had passed.

The escalation in fighting near the crucial Red Sea shipping corridor has worried global markets while marking a return to civil war in Yemen.