Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense issued emergency alerts for the capital Riyadh and the nearby city of Al-Kharj before dawn on Saturday, warning residents of a potential security threat, according to Reuters.
The alert marked the first known civil defense warning for Riyadh since Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement intensified cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia. A Reuters journalist reported hearing two explosions in Riyadh’s Al Olaya district during the warning period, although Saudi officials did not immediately explain the cause of the blasts.
Saudi Civil Defense later issued an all-clear, saying the situation in Riyadh and Al-Kharj had returned to normal. Authorities urged residents to continue following official instructions but provided no immediate information about damage, casualties, or whether incoming projectiles had been intercepted.
The warning came hours after Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had thwarted what he described as “criminal attempts” in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, blaming Saudi Arabia and vowing retaliation. The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the explosions reported in Riyadh.
Houthi attacks deepen regional security concerns
The Houthis, who control Yemen’s most populous regions and much of the country’s north, have sharply increased attacks on Saudi Arabia since announcing a naval blockade against the kingdom in July. The group has also targeted Saudi-linked commercial shipping in the Red Sea and expanded military operations along Yemen’s western coast.
Saudi Arabia has responded with intensified airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, while the renewed conflict has displaced more than 100,000 people, according to the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration. The fighting has also raised concerns over security along the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key global shipping corridor.
The latest security alert comes amid a broader escalation across the Middle East linked to the U.S.-Iran confrontation, with Houthi attacks increasingly affecting Saudi cities, energy infrastructure, and maritime traffic. Riyadh has accused the Iran-backed group of threatening regional stability, while the Houthis say their operations are a response to Saudi military actions in Yemen.
