Two explosions were heard in Riyadh early on Saturday after Saudi civil defence issued early-warning alerts for the capital and two other areas, as the Saudi-led coalition said its air defences had stopped a ballistic missile aimed at the city.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki said the missile, launched by Yemen’s Houthi movement, was intercepted and destroyed. He said a drone was also brought down in the kingdom’s Eastern Province earlier on Saturday.
Civil defence alerts went out to residents in Riyadh, Najran and Wadi al-Dawasir, advising people to stay indoors, away from windows, and to follow official instructions. The authority later said the danger had passed in all three locations.
No casualty figure for Saturday’s interception has been confirmed in the reports so far, and officials have not said where the missile was intercepted or whether falling debris caused any damage.
The incident follows a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi targets this month, including an attack on Riyadh airport earlier in October that was described as the deadliest strike on Saudi territory in years.
Tehran has denied involvement in the Houthi attacks, after Saudi Arabia accused Iran of encouraging the group’s escalation. The Houthis have stepped up strikes since fighting in Yemen reignited in July following a four-year truce, according to the reports.
Saudi authorities have also cautioned the public against recording or sharing footage of interceptions, warning that circulating such material could carry legal consequences.
