Saudi Civil Defense Activates Riyadh and Al Kharj Warning System as Explosions Heard in Capital

Explosions were heard in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, in the early hours of Saturday, September 19, 2026, and Saudi Civil Defense activated the national early warning system in Riyadh and Al Kharj, sending alert messages to residents, Al Jazeera reported. The alert followed reports of missile fire from Yemeni forces. Iranian outlets, including ISNA, cited reports of a direct missile strike inside Riyadh, though the claim had not been officially confirmed by Saudi authorities at the time of publication. Sources said Saudi warplanes struck several positions in southern Marib province, Yemen, in response. The incident came on a day when oil markets were already on edge over the shutdown of Saudi Arabia's East to West pipeline and a sharp drop in Strait of Hormuz traffic.