Diplomats and residents in Riyadh took precautionary measures on October 8 following a series of explosions that were heard across the Saudi capital, according to officials and eyewitnesses. The blasts came hours after the Houthi movement in Yemen claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi territory.
The Iran-backed Houthi group, which has been engaged in a prolonged conflict with the internationally recognized Yemeni government supported by Saudi Arabia, has intensified its offensive in recent weeks. The fighters have seized significant areas of Yemen, including strategic locations near the Bab-al-Mandab strait, a vital route for global shipping and Saudi oil exports.
In Riyadh, embassies instructed diplomats to shelter in place amid the disturbances. Several international schools implemented safety protocols, with reports of children being moved to basement areas to avoid potential harm. Additionally, some companies in the King Abdullah Financial District evacuated their employees following the explosions, which were described as among the loudest in Riyadh since the escalation of regional tensions earlier this year.
The recent strikes came a day after the Houthis targeted two international airports in Saudi Arabia—Abha International Airport and Khamis Mushait National Airport. The Saudi civil aviation authority confirmed attacks on these facilities, resulting in the deaths of three foreign nationals—an Egyptian and an Algerian at Abha, and a Sudanese individual in Riyadh—as well as injuries to 36 others. The Saudi-led coalition combating the Houthis condemned the attacks, describing them as terroristic actions against civilian infrastructure and pledging a retaliatory response.
In Yemen, fighting continued unabated, with clashes recorded on October 7 that left at least 62 combatants dead, including 37 from the Houthi side. The conflict has also inflicted significant harm on civilians; a Houthi missile strike in the government-controlled city of Taiz reportedly wounded five civilians. Witnesses described the missile as hitting a densely populated area, intensifying fears among local residents.
The ongoing conflict has exacerbated the humanitarian situation in Yemen, where most of the population relies on aid amid widespread displacement. Mohammed, a charity worker who recently fled the port city of Mocha for Aden, described pervasive fear among civilians regarding the Houthi advances. The war’s escalation follows a relative stalemate that persisted until a sudden offensive launched by the Houthis in September, pushing the complex Yemen crisis back into the international spotlight.