Saudi Arabia issued its first emergency air raid alerts for Riyadh as explosions echoed through the capital, marking a sharp escalation in the kingdom’s conflict with Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The late-night warning comes amid an intensifying Red Sea blockade and faltering regional diplomacy.
Air Raid Sirens Sound in Riyadh As Houthi Escalation Reaches Saudi Capital
Residents across Riyadh received the all-clear after Saudi Civil Defence authorities issued emergency warnings late Friday night and into Saturday morning. Reuters and AFP journalists on the ground reported hearing explosions in the capital following a hostile aerial threat. It was the first time authorities triggered air raid alerts in Riyadh since Houthi rebels ramped up their strikes and declared a maritime embargo on Saudi shipping in July.
The flare-up follows weeks of compounding economic pressure. Houthi forces recently seized control of the strategic port city of Mokha and Perim Island, tightening a bottleneck at the gateway to vital shipping lanes used by Gulf exporters. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea stated that the naval blockade serves as retaliation for Saudi air strikes on north-western Yemen. Recent drone and missile strikes hit multiple Saudi oil facilities, triggering fires that temporarily halted operations and pushed up global diesel and petrol prices.
U.S. Military Support and Diplomatic Maneuvers Over Red Sea Shipping
Facing mounting security threats, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally asked U.S. President Donald Trump to authorize direct military action against the Houthis, according to sources familiar with the discussions. President Trump has thus far declined direct U.S. military involvement, offering intelligence and targeting support instead. A senior administration official confirmed to the BBC that the administration remains in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s government regarding regional stability.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command reported that the military has supported the transit of 1 billion barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz over the past two months. Adm. Brad Cooper asserted that Iran has exported zero barrels due to an active U.S. blockade. While Central Command notes that primary transit lanes are cleared of mines and shipping volumes are at a six-month high, independent monitors emphasize that overall maritime traffic remains well below prewar levels as Iran continues to assert control over the waterway.
Iran Awaits Washington Response While Security Chief Issues Regional Warnings
In Tehran, the newly appointed head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, announced that Iran has transmitted its conditions for ending the war to Washington through Qatari mediators. Speaking in an extensive interview with Al Jazeera, Rezaei stated that Tehran awaits a response from President Donald Trump on terms that include ending the conflict on all fronts, unfreezing seized Iranian assets, and halting the U.S. naval blockade.
Simultaneously, the hard-line security chief issued direct warnings to neighboring states against joining new U.S. economic measures targeting Tehran. In an interview with state broadcaster IRIB, Rezaei warned that any neighbor participating in the economic pressure campaign would be treated as an enemy. If Trump wants to do something, we will retaliate in a seismic manner,
he said, according to reports carried by regional outlets.
Regional Diplomacy and Facilitation for Iraqi Oil Tankers
Amid the broader conflict, regional powers are scrambling to keep vital energy supplies moving. Iraqi President Nizar Amidi confirmed that Tehran has permitted a number of Iraqi oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Because Iraq lacks a national carrier fleet for oil transport, the facilitation arrangement provides a critical lifeline for regional exports, though details on what Tehran received in return remain scarce.
At the same time, Egyptian and Iranian foreign ministries held high-level discussions aimed at reviving stalled bilateral negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Parallel Strikes Impact Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria
The regional turmoil extends far beyond Gulf waterways, with ongoing military engagements across multiple fronts. In Gaza, local health officials reported that Israeli strikes killed three people on Saturday, including a man in Gaza City’s Shijaiyah neighborhood and the son of the Health Ministry’s director general in the Jabaliya refugee camp.
Along Israel’s northern border, the Israeli military confirmed airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon after two Israeli soldiers were wounded by an explosive device.