Saudi Arabia issues air raid alert in Riyadh, explosions heard

Riyadh: Explosions were heard in Riyadh on Saturday, an AFP journalists reported, after an air raid alert was issued by Saudi Arabian authorities, regularly targeted in recent days by pro-Iranian Houthis in Yemen.

This is the first time the capital has been directly affected since a conflict in neighboring Yemen intensified in July.

"The area is under a hostile aerial threat," a message received shortly before 3:00 am (0000 GMT) by residents of the Saudi capital warned, urging them to stay indoors.

AFP journalists then heard two explosions, and the alert was lifted about half an hour later by Saudi Arabia's civil defence agency.

The Houthis, who already held most of Yemen's populated areas, launched a lightning offensive this month to take over the country's entire Red Sea coast, giving them control over the vital Bab Al Mandab strait. 

The group has declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia, which had been used to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, itself closed by the Middle East war, for its oil exports.

Figures from maritime tracking firm Kpler showed that Saudi exports via the Bab Al Mandab strait had dropped since July, although five loaded ships had passed through in the last week.

The Houthis insist that navigation of the strait is open and free except for Saudi vessels.

The UN said Friday that the renewed fighting had displaced more than 112,000 people while nearly 3,000 others had fled across the sea to Djibouti, heaping further misery on an already struggling population.