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Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued warnings of “potential danger” for Mecca province, home to Islam’s holiest city, and the coastal city of Jeddah on Friday, urging residents to move to safety without specifying the nature of the threat.
In alerts broadcast by the civil defence agency, residents were instructed to “proceed to the nearest safe place”. The warnings did not provide details about the source of the potential danger or whether any attack had been detected.
The alerts came amid heightened security concerns in the Gulf kingdom as regional tensions and the renewed conflict in neighbouring Yemen raise fears of cross-border attacks.
The warnings also covered nearby Taif and the Red Sea coastal city of Yanbu. All four alerts were withdrawn minutes later, with authorities announcing that the danger had passed. Residents were also advised to follow safety instructions and avoid gathering or filming.
The Civil Defence agency reiterated a legal warning against sharing images or information related to missile and drone interceptions, amid heightened military alertness.
The warnings came as Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group intensified attacks against Saudi targets, including oil infrastructure, airports and other strategic facilities. The group is fighting Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting the Yemeni government since 2015. The conflict has devastated Yemen and contributed to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The renewed fighting has followed the collapse of a largely effective ceasefire reached in 2022, with the broader Middle East conflict adding to regional instability.
The latest developments underline growing security concerns for Saudi Arabia, a major oil exporter and home to Islam’s two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina.
