Air Raid Sirens Sounded After Two Pre-Dawn Explosions in Riyadh

Two explosions were heard before dawn on the 19th (local time) in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, and authorities issued an air raid alert before lifting it about 30 minutes later. Riyadh residents received an emergency alert via mobile app shortly before 3 a.m. warning of a "hostile aerial threat." The cause of the explosions and the exact location have not yet been confirmed.

It is the first time since fighting in Yemen's civil war reignited in July that Riyadh has faced a direct aerial threat.

The Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen recently declared a naval blockade targeting Saudi-linked vessels. Saudi authorities did not reveal the source of the threat that triggered the alert, and whether it was a Houthi attack has not been confirmed.