Saudi authorities briefly warn of ‘aerial threat’ in Riyadh

Saudi authorities briefly warned residents of the capital Riyadh of an aerial threat on Monday, a day after an attack on its business district.

“Warning. The area is under a hostile aerial threat. Please remain calm, stay indoors or in a safe place away from windows and doors, and follow the instructions of Civil Defence,” the message said, before lifting the warning minutes later.

Saudi Arabia has faced near-daily strikes since October, when the Houthis intensified their campaign against the kingdom after ousting Riyadh-backed government forces from their positions on the Red Sea coast.

On Sunday, the Houthis claimed attacks on Riyadh’s business district, where witnesses said a skyscraper belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco was damaged.

Saudi authorities said the building had been “subjected to an attempted attack”.

Aramco facilities have been repeatedly struck by the Houthis in recent months, with tankers, refineries, storage areas and the company headquarters all targeted by the group.

A 2022 truce that had paused fighting in Yemen’s long-running conflict fell apart in July, and Saudi Arabia has since traded blows with the Houthis, who have struck Saudi airports and military sites as well as energy infrastructure.