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Saudi troops have repelled a major attack on their border by Houthi rebels from Yemen, the BBC reported, citing Saudi state media.

Air strikes carried out by a Saudi-led coalition have targeted the Shia Muslim rebels since late March.

But this is the first major assault on Saudi territory since the strikes began. The Saudi reports say "dozens" of rebels were killed.

As fighting continues, aid groups say a lack of fuel is severely hampering their operations in Yemen.

A statement by the Saudi Press Agency, SPA, said the attack happened on its southern border, near the Saudi town of Najran on Thursday.

Identifying the attackers as Houthi rebels and groups allied to them, SPA said Saudi ground exchanged fire with them and called in air strikes.

The rebels - who control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa - have been fighting forces linked to the government for several months.

Saudi Arabia and other Arab states have been carrying out air strikes since late March with the declared aim of restoring exiled President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.