Explosions heard in Riyadh; Saudi Arabia issues all-clear amid rising Houthi attacks

Explosions were heard in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, early Saturday, prompting a civil defence alert before authorities later issued an all-clear.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence said in a statement on X that the danger had passed in the city. Residents were urged to continue following official instructions and to avoid gathering or filming the incident.

The alert came hours after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group said it had thwarted “criminal attempts” by Saudi Arabia in the capital, Sanaa, and vowed to respond. The group did not provide details about the alleged attempts or identify those involved.

The Houthis have stepped up attacks targeting Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. In July, the group announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, after which several vessels in the Red Sea were targeted.

The Houthis control much of northern Yemen, including the country’s most populous areas.

Earlier on Thursday, one person was killed and two others were injured after debris from a drone launched by the Houthis fell in Taif in western Saudi Arabia after the aircraft was intercepted and destroyed.

Saudi Arabia subsequently carried out airstrikes against targets in northwestern and southwestern Yemen. At least one person was reported killed in the strikes.

On Friday, the UN Security Council condemned what it described as continued Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, including strikes affecting civilian and energy infrastructure. The council said the attacks had caused civilian casualties, including among women and children.

India also condemned the attacks, describing them as “unacceptable” and saying they undermine regional security and threaten freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb.

New Delhi also reiterated its condemnation of attacks targeting Saudi economic facilities and an attempted strike toward the holy city of Makkah.

The Bab-el-Mandeb is a strategically important maritime chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the wider Arabian Sea, making it a key route for international shipping and energy trade.