00:21Riyadh came under a Houthi ballistic missile threat early Saturday, with explosions rocking
00:27parts of the Saudi capital as air raid alerts sent residents into shelters. Saudi Arabia's civil defense issued a hostile
00:36aerial threat warning for Riyadh and nearby Al-Karj shortly before 3 a.m. local time. Residents were ordered to
00:43stay indoors, move away from windows, and avoid open areas as the threat unfolded over the capital. Then came the
00:51explosions. Reuters and AFP journalists in Riyadh reported hearing two loud booms.
00:57Including one heard in the Olaya area. The dramatic blasts immediately raised fears that Houthi missiles had struck deep inside
01:06the Saudi capital. But Saudi authorities have not confirmed a successful ground impact. Instead, the explosions are consistent with Saudi
01:15air defense interceptions, with the danger reportedly passing around 30 minutes after the initial warning. Still, the incident marks a
01:24major escalation.
01:25The Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah, has been carrying out repeated missile and drone attacks against Saudi targets,
01:33as fighting intensifies across Yemen and the wider Red Sea region.
01:37And just hours before the Riyadh alerts, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari said the group had thwarted what he described
01:45as Saudi criminal attempts in Sana'a, and warned that there would be a response.
01:50The Houthis, however, have not confirmed a successful missile strike on Riyadh in this specific incident.
01:57The latest threat came after a series of aerial alerts across Saudi Arabia. On Friday night, warnings were issued for
02:04areas including Jeddah, Taif, Yangu, Kamis Mushait, Abha, and Jazin.
02:10And on Thursday, debris from an intercepted Houthi drone reportedly fell in Taif, killing one Yemeni resident and injuring a
02:19Saudi woman and a Pakistani resident.
02:21The renewed escalation follows the collapse of a period of relative calm between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in
02:28Yemen.
02:29Since the fighting intensified, Houthi forces have repeatedly launched missiles and drones towards Saudi cities, military installations, and energy infrastructure,
02:39while Saudi Arabia and its allies have carried out extensive strikes against Houthi-controlled areas.
02:45The latest warning shows that Riyadh itself is once again facing the threat of Houthi long-range attacks.
02:52For now, there are no confirmed reports of a successful missile impact, major damage, or casualties inside Riyadh from Saturday's
03:00incident.
03:01But two explosions, emergency warnings, and a rapid air defense response have put Saudi Arabia's capital directly in the spotlight.
03:22The Riyadh from the
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