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

Saudi civil defence 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 Houthi rebels on the Gulf country.

The alerts were the first for the capital since Houthis in neighbouring Yemen intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Alert: The danger has passed in Riyadh City. For your safety, continue following #CivilDefense instructions and avoid gathering and filming. In case of emergency, call (911). pic.twitter.com/ye38UePFfk

— الدفاع المدني السعودي (@SaudiDCD) September 19, 2026

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.

The Houthis ​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 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".

In the statement, the Security Council also condemned "Houthi military escalation in Yemen".