Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh received its first air‑raid alerts since the Iran‑backed Houthis stepped up attacks in July. Late Friday night and early Saturday morning, the Saudi Civil Defence warned residents of the capital and several other regions, citing escalating conflict with the Houthi movement.
Journalists from Reuters and AFP reported hearing explosions in the city, but the authorities have since declared the threat over and urged citizens to steer clear of crowds. The alerts came as the Houthis recently seized the strategic port city of Mokha and Perim Island, a key gateway to a shipping route the Kingdom uses to export oil to Asia and Europe.
The Houthi military spokesman said the naval blockade was retaliation for Saudi blockades of ports and airports in Houthi‑controlled north‑western Yemen. Saudi vessels have relied on that stretch of the Red Sea for oil exports since the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed by the US‑Israel war with Iran.
Last week, Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities with drones and missiles caused fires and temporary shutdowns, further tightening global energy markets and pushing petrol and diesel prices higher worldwide.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has personally asked US President Donald Trump to take military action against the Houthis, but Trump has declined direct involvement, offering intelligence and targeting support instead. A senior Trump administration official said the US is in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen over regional stability.
Earlier this week, Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarea claimed the group launched drones and missiles in retaliation for more than 450 Saudi air strikes on their territory in the past week. The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting, with both Yemen’s government and Saudi Arabia calling for decisive action to keep the Bab al‑Mandab Strait open for navigation and prevent global supply chain disruptions.
Yemen’s civil war, which began in 2014 when the Houthis ousted the government from Sanaa, has escalated into a humanitarian crisis with over 150,000 deaths and more than 22 million people in need of aid, according to the UN.
With the alerts lifted, Riyadh residents are advised to remain alert and follow official guidance as the situation in the region continues to evolve.
