Saudi Arabia Issues Security Alerts in Makkah, Jeddah and Taif Amid Houthi Attacks

Saudi Arabia issued brief air-raid alerts warning of potential danger in the holy city of Mecca as well as the Jeddah and Taif governorates, according to reports from the Saudi Civil Defence and international news agencies. The emergency warnings, which included the first such alert in Mecca since the Middle East war began, were quickly lifted by authorities using the National Early Warning Platform for Emergencies.

According to reporting corroborated by Gulf Today and Anadolu Ajansı, the unexpected alerts instructed residents to remain calm, seek shelter inside interior rooms away from windows, and avoid open areas and rooftops. Motorists were directed to pull over away from bridges and high-rise structures. Officials did not immediately specify the exact nature of the threats that triggered the platform warnings in western Saudi Arabia.

Missile and Drone Strikes Target Southern Saudi Arabia

The emergency alerts followed a wave of ballistic missile and drone attacks launched from Yemen. The Riyadh-led coalition confirmed that the strikes injured 13 civilians and caused damage to seven houses and two vehicles across Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif. A resident in Khamis Mushait told Agence France-Presse that intense blasts left fires burning for a long time overnight.

The Iran-backed Houthi movement claimed responsibility for launching dozens of ballistic missiles and drones against the King Khalid airbase in Khamis Mushait. In western Yemen, a separate Houthi strike killed eight government soldiers, according to two military sources. The renewed cross-border escalation follows the re-ignition of Yemen’s civil war in July, during which the group declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh and seized control of the Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Coalition Vows Firm Response as Regional Tensions Persist

In response to the ongoing drone and missile assaults, the Saudi-led coalition stated that it conducted more than 50 airstrikes on Houthi-held positions in Yemen over a two-day period. The coalition pledged to deal with the attacks firmly to protect the sovereignty of the Kingdom and take all necessary operational measures to deter hostile approaches. Hazem al-Assad, a member of the Houthi politburo, stated that the Yemeni response will continue and escalate as long as Saudi aggression against their people persists.