Air Raid Sirens in Riyadh: Explosions Heard as Houthi Attacks Reach Saudi Capital

Saudi Arabian authorities activated air raid sirens in the capital, Riyadh, late Friday night. Residents reported hearing explosions across the city. "An air threat is present in the area," read an alert sent to Riyadh residents. The civil defense later announced that the danger had passed. An AFP journalist also reported hearing explosions in the area. This is the first time the Saudi capital has been directly affected since the conflict in neighboring Yemen escalated in July. In recent days, Saudi Arabia has been the target of several attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Saudi Arabia leads a coalition fighting alongside government forces in Yemen's civil war.