Saudi civil defence agency warned residents that an air‑raid alert had been activated at 3:00 a.m. Saturday after two explosions were heard, marking the first such alert since Yemen’s renewed fighting.
The alert follows a month‑long Houthi offensive that seized large swaths of Yemen’s territory, forcing the internationally recognised government and its Saudi backers into a defensive scramble. Saudi forces have launched numerous airstrikes against Houthi‑held areas, yet the advance continues, and Washington has yet to provide direct military support.
A resident in northern Riyadh, 27, described the incident: “I heard the alarm, then my windows shook. It was definitely scary and I wasn’t expecting this.” Another resident added that the all‑clear signal was delayed, heightening anxiety.
Riyadh’s government has denied any specific source for the blasts, while the Houthis have denied accusations of targeting Mecca, calling such claims a “worn‑out lie.” The broader conflict has displaced 112,000 people and sent 3,000 Yemeni refugees across the sea to Djibouti, and Saudi exports through the Bab al‑Mandab strait have fallen since July.
The United States recently approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F‑35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to help deter threats, but it declined to carry out airstrikes against the Houthis.
Authorities are probing the origin of the blasts as Riyadh prepares for a possible escalation.