Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued emergency alerts on Tuesday, warning of “potential danger” in the holy city of Makkah, along with Jeddah and Taif, urging residents to stay calm and move indoors immediately. The warnings were sent through the National Early Warning Platform for Emergencies and were lifted shortly after, with authorities confirming the danger had passed in all affected areas. Officials did not specify what triggered the alerts.
Notably, this marked the first such alert issued for Makkah since the current round of hostilities with Yemen’s Houthi movement began. Similar alerts were also activated in Yanbu, Abha, Jazan and Al-Ula.
The warnings came a day after Houthi forces launched ballistic missiles and drones at Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif, injuring 13 civilians and damaging several homes and vehicles, according to the Saudi-led coalition. The coalition responded with dozens of strikes on Houthi positions inside Yemen and said it would take all necessary steps to protect the kingdom’s sovereignty.
The Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the Houthi strikes as a serious escalation and a violation of international law. Residents were advised to avoid gathering in public areas, refrain from filming incidents, and call 911 in the Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and Eastern Province regions, or 998 elsewhere, in case of emergency. Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have been rising steadily in recent days.
