Saudi-led coalition says it downed two Houthi missiles

Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense briefly warned of "potential danger" in Makkah, Jeddah, Taif and Yanbu on Saturday, October 24. About 10 minutes later, it said the danger had passed, Reuters reported. The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis later said it had destroyed two ballistic missiles the Iran-aligned group fired toward Taif and Yanbu, according to The Times of Israel.reuters.com+1

These were the latest of several warnings across the kingdom on Saturday. The Houthis have stepped up missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory in recent weeks, and the alerts have reached Islam's holiest city more than once.

Alerts and all-clear

The Civil Defense posted on X that its National Early Warning Platform had sent alerts for Jeddah, Taif and Yanbu governorates and for Makkah Province. It then announced the all-clear for all four areas, Anadolu Agency reported. The agency asked people to follow its instructions and "avoid gathering and filming" in the affected areas.haberintelifi.aa.com.tr

Under the safety guidance, residents were told to shelter inside buildings and stay away from windows, balconies and rooftops. Drivers were told to pull over away from bridges and tall buildings, Siasat reported. The Interior Ministry also warned that filming or sharing information about missile and drone interceptions, including where they land, could bring legal consequences.siasat.com

Earlier strikes on Riyadh

The western alerts came hours after a warning in the early morning. Shortly after 4 a.m., the Civil Defense sounded alarms for Riyadh, Najran and Wadi Al-Dawasir, and two loud blasts were heard across the capital minutes later, Arab News reported. "Air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards Riyadh," coalition spokesman Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said in a statement on X. The coalition also said it intercepted a drone.arabnews.com

A widening campaign

The Houthis are fighting Yemen's internationally recognized government, which Saudi Arabia backs. In the renewed civil war, the group has targeted Saudi oil infrastructure and airports. An attack on Riyadh's airport earlier this month killed 13 people, The Daily Star reported.thedailystar.net

Short alerts like Saturday's have become routine. On September 15, the Civil Defense issued its first alert for Makkah since the Middle East war began, and lifted it quickly, according to The Daily Star. Later in September, Riyadh accused the Houthis of targeting Makkah with a drone for the first time since 2017. The group denied it, The Daily Star reported.thedailystar.net+1