The key facts
- Sirens in Abha and Khamis Mushait sounded twice on Saturday; after each time, authorities declared the threat over.
- Saudi authorities did not disclose the nature of the threat.
- The alerts come amid a military escalation with the Houthis that has continued since July.
Two rounds of alerts in one day
Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense announced on Saturday that the threat to the city of Abha and the governorate of Khamis Mushait in the country's southwest had passed after sirens were activated for the second time in one day. The messages were published on X, where the agency urged residents to continue following safety instructions, avoid crowds, and refrain from filming.
How the alert system worked
The sirens were activated via the National Early Warning Platform. Earlier the same day, similar signals had already sounded in Abha and Khamis Mushait, and a few minutes later the authorities announced that the threat had passed. Saudi authorities did not disclose the nature of the threat that triggered both rounds of alerts.
Context of the conflict
According to Anadolu, the alerts come amid a military escalation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi group that has continued since July, including attacks on civil aviation facilities and the kingdom's energy infrastructure. Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition in support of Yemen's internationally recognized government against the Houthis, who have controlled the capital Sanaa and a number of other provinces since September 2014.
