Saudi Arabia issues air raid alerts across the country, and other Mideast developments

Saudi Arabia issued emergency alerts across the country on Friday and Saturday, warning of a "hostile aerial threat." At least one explosion was heard in Riyadh, the capital, which had not been warned of an aerial threat since tensions escalated with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. No casualties or damage were reported following the alerts.

Saudi authorities did not disclose the cause of the explosions, but they previously intercepted Houthi missiles and drones. The UN Security Council condemned the Houthi attacks and threats, warning that ongoing escalation could further strain regional security and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Iran executed a man named Hossein Pedram, who was convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad.

Pedram passed classified information on sensitive military sites in Iran to Israel during the 12-day air war against Iran last June. A surge in executions in Iran has drawn international criticism from human rights groups. In Gaza, Israeli strikes killed two men, one in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City and another in the Jabaliya refugee camp.

The Israeli military has killed over 13,780 Palestinians in Gaza since a ceasefire took effect last October. Despite the ongoing conflict, children in Gaza continue to attend school in tents and damaged classrooms. The UNRWA reports that 280,000 children in Gaza are attending school, but 95% of fully equipped schools have been lost.

The U.N. agency aims to restore conditions to the schools as they were three years ago. Pakistan's and Iran's foreign ministers discussed energy supplies and shipping safety during a telephone call. Pakistan has faced rising energy prices due to the escalating tensions, putting pressure on the government. Iran filed charges against a race organizer for allowing women to run a 10-kilometer race without covering their hair, citing "legal and Islamic Sharia" laws.

Turkey revoked the operating license of Iran's Bank Mellat in Istanbul, aiming to protect depositors and financial stability.