Saudi Arabia Issues Emergency Warning Amid Drone Interceptions and Escalating Tensions with Yemen

: Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued an emergency warning in Riyadh Province on Wednesday, November 4, alerting residents to a potential danger before later announcing that the threat had passed. In a statement on X, the National Early Warning Platform urged residents to remain calm, follow official instructions and immediately move to the nearest safe place, preferably inside a building and away from windows. Residents were also advised to avoid open areas, balconies and rooftops, refrain from gathering or filming, and remain indoors until the danger had passed. Motorists who received an alert while driving were instructed to pull over away from bridges and high-rise buildings. In a subsequent announcement, Civil Defence confirmed that the danger had passed in Riyadh Province. However, it urged residents to continue following safety instructions and avoid gatherings and filming. The authority advised residents to call 911 in an emergency. Meanwhile, Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki announced the interception and destruction of two drones in separate incidents in the Kingdom. In a post on X at 12:24 am, Al-Maliki said a drone had been intercepted and destroyed in the eastern region. In another statement at 1:04 am, he reported the interception of a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia towards the southern region. The announcements came a day after Al-Maliki reported the interception and destruction of a drone in the Makkah region on Tuesday, November 3. He did not disclose its origin. Following the announcement, Houthi military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree denied in a post on X that Yemeni forces had carried out any operation towards Saudi territory that day. He rejected allegations that they had targeted Makkah, describing them as a “blatant and recycled lie”. However, in a subsequent post, Saree claimed that Yemeni forces had conducted two military operations against Saudi targets. He said a drone targeted Abha International Airport, disrupting air traffic, while a ballistic missile was fired at Khamis Mushait Air Base. In another statement on X, Saree claimed that Saudi warplanes had carried out 93 airstrikes over the preceding 24 hours, targeting what he described as civilian assets in Sanaa and the provinces of Al-Jawf, Taiz, Saada, Marib, Amran, Lahj and Hajjah. He alleged that the strikes had killed and wounded civilians, including women and children. Saree also claimed that the total number of Saudi airstrikes and missile attacks since the escalation began had reached 4,032. The latest incidents come amid heightened tensions following the July 13 strike on Sanaa International Airport. Yemen’s internationally recognised government said its forces targeted the runway to prevent an Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation from landing. The delegation was returning from Tehran after attending the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for the strike and threatened retaliation. They subsequently claimed missile and drone attacks on Abha International Airport, marking a renewed escalation between the group and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.