SANAA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi rebels said that they attacked the control tower of Abha airport in Saudi Arabia's southwestern province of Asir on Thursday night, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea was quoted in a statement as saying that they carried out two attacks on the control tower of Abha airport, using bomb-laden drones.

Meanwhile, the Saudi air defense intercepted and downed a drone launched by the Houthi militias on Thursday night from Yemen toward the Saudi southwestern province of Jizan, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television reported, citing a statement by the Saudi-led coalition forces.

However, the coalition has not confirmed the Houthi-claimed attack on the control tower so far, while Houthi rebels have not claimed any attack toward Jizan.

Houthis have recently stepped up missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, but most of the missiles and drones were intercepted by the kingdom's air defences.

The rebels have been demanding the lift of air and sea blockade on the territories they control, including the capital Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition against Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen for more than four years in support of the exiled internationally-recognized government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.