Saudi civil defence sends all-clear after alerts issued for capital Riyadh

RIYADH: Saudi civil defense officials issued an "all-clear" on Saturday following two alerts issued for potential danger in the capital Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj, reports suggest. The warnings came amid an increase in attacks by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia. These were the first alerts for the capital since the Houthis in Yemen ramped up their assaults on the neighboring nation.

A Reuters correspondent noted two explosions in Riyadh's Olaya area. The alerts occurred just hours after the Houthi spokesperson claimed the group had thwarted unspecified "criminal attempts" in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, blaming Saudi Arabia and threatening a response. While a Saudi government spokesperson has not yet commented on the Houthi claim, the Houthis, who govern the majority of Yemen and a significant portion of the north, have been conducting attacks on Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade against Riyadh in July.

Strikes targeting Saudi vessels in the Red Sea have resulted in one fatality. The Houthi-controlled Red Sea coast was seized by them in a swift advance earlier this month. The United Nations Security Council, in a statement released on Friday, strongly condemned the ongoing Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia. These included strikes that had impacted civilian and energy infrastructure, leading to injuries among civilians, including women and children. The council also denounced "Houthi military escalation in Yemen."