Saudi authorities issued an air raid alert in the capital Riyadh early Saturday, and explosions were heard there, according to journalists in the city. Residents received a message shortly before 3:00 am local time warning that "the area is under a hostile aerial threat" and urging people to stay indoors.

The alert was described as the first of its kind in the Saudi capital since fighting returned to neighbouring Yemen. The Houthis have been fighting Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces since the country's civil war reignited in July, when the group also declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh and began targeting its ships in the Red Sea.

According to the account, this is the first time the conflict has reached the capital, adding further strain to a global economy already rattled by nearly seven months of war between the United States and Iran.