Saudi civil defense sends all-clear after alerts issued for Riyadh in first since Houthi escalation

Jerusalem Post/Middle EastThe alerts come hours after the Houthis' military spokesperson said the group had foiled unspecified "criminal attempts" in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, blaming Saudi Arabia and vowing a response.Follow us on GoogleIran-aligned Houthi fighters occupy a firing position in a screengrab from a video said to show Houthi fighters attacking Saudi-backed forces in the location given by the source as al Jawf governorate, Yemen.(photo credit: Houthi Military Media/Reuters)SEPTEMBER 19, 2026 06:19Saudi civil defense sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-backed Houthis on the Gulf country.The alerts were the first for the capital since Houthis in neighboring Yemen intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia.A Reuters journalist heard two booms in Riyadh’s Olaya area.The alerts come hours after the Houthis' military spokesperson said the group had foiled unspecified "criminal attempts" in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, blaming Saudi Arabia and vowing a response.There was no immediate comment from the Saudi government's media office on the Houthis' statement.A boy holds up a toy weapon as he joins Houthi supporters during an anti-Saudi rally amid an escalation with the kingdom, in Sanaa, Yemen, July 31, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/KHALED ABDULLAH)Iran-backed Houthis seized Yemeni Red Sea portsThe Houthis, who ⁠control ​the most populous parts of Yemen and much of the north, ​have been launching attacks towards Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade against Riyadh in July, with strikes targeting Saudi vessels in the Red ​Sea.The Iran-backed terrorist group, which seized Yemen's entire Red Sea coast in a lightning advance this month, says the Saudi Air Force has conducted hundreds of airstrikes ​in recent days.The UN Security Council in a statement on Friday "condemned in the strongest terms continued Houthi attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including attacks impacting civilian and energy infrastructure, which have resulted in the injury of civilians, including women and children."In the statement, the Security Council also condemned "Houthi military escalation in Yemen."Follow us on Google