RIYADH, September 19: Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense issued an all-clear early Saturday after sending emergency warnings of potential danger to residents of Riyadh and nearby Al-Kharj, amid an escalation in missile and drone attacks linked to Yemen’s Houthi movement. The nature of the immediate threat was not officially specified, while a Reuters journalist reported hearing two explosions in central Riyadh.
Emergency Alerts Sent to Riyadh Residents
Residents of the Saudi capital received mobile-phone emergency warnings early on September 19 advising them of a potential security threat.
Similar alerts were issued for Al-Kharj, southeast of Riyadh, and the Farasan Islands in southwestern Saudi Arabia. Civil Defense subsequently informed residents that the danger had passed.
The warnings were notable because they were among the first such alerts issued for Riyadh since Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia intensified in recent weeks.
Two Explosions Heard in Riyadh
A Reuters journalist reported hearing two booms in Riyadh’s Olaya district around the time the warnings were active.
Saudi authorities had not immediately specified what caused the explosions or whether an incoming missile or drone had been intercepted.
No casualties or significant damage were immediately announced in connection with Saturday morning’s alert.
Alerts Follow Warnings Across Several Saudi Cities
The latest warnings came after Saudi Civil Defense issued alerts on Friday night across several other parts of the kingdom.
Areas placed under warnings included Jeddah and Taif in Makkah province, Khamis Mushait in Asir and AlUla in Madinah province.
Those alerts were also issued amid heightened concerns over missile and drone threats, although authorities did not publicly identify the nature of every warning.
Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Have Intensified
The security alerts come amid renewed fighting between Saudi-backed forces and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement.
The Houthis have sharply increased missile and drone operations against Saudi cities and energy infrastructure as fighting expands along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree had also threatened further action after accusing Saudi Arabia of carrying out operations in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed all of the strikes attributed to it.
Drone Debris Killed One Person in Taif
The latest alerts follow a deadly incident in Taif on Thursday, when debris from an intercepted Houthi drone fell in a populated area.
Saudi authorities said a Yemeni resident was killed, while a Saudi woman and a Pakistani national were injured. Buildings and vehicles were also damaged.
The incident marked one of the most serious civilian consequences inside Saudi Arabia during the latest escalation.
Saudi Oil Infrastructure Also Under Pressure
The conflict has increasingly threatened Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure.
A recent drone attack damaged three pumping stations on the kingdom’s East-West oil pipeline, which normally helps Saudi crude exports bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
The damage has disrupted some crude shipments through the Red Sea port of Yanbu and forced Saudi Aramco to increase alternative exports through Oman.
Concerns about supply disruptions have contributed to volatility in international oil markets.
Yemen Fighting Displaces More Than 112,000
The renewed conflict is also worsening Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration said at least 112,000 people have recently been displaced inside Yemen, while nearly 3,000 people have fled by sea to Djibouti.
Houthi advances along Yemen’s Red Sea coast have increased concerns over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategically important shipping route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Saudi authorities continue to monitor missile and drone threats, with residents being advised to follow official Civil Defense alerts as the regional security situation remains volatile.
source – Reuters / Arab News / Associated Press
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