Explosions heard in Saudi capital Riyadh: Sources

Multiple explosions were heard in the Saudi capital on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, as the military coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis confirmed the interception of a ballistic missile. Residents in Riyadh received mobile phone alerts instructing them to take cover due to an aerial threat. Journalists on the ground reported hearing the blasts, though the country's civil defence agency later announced that the danger had passed.

Explosions in Riyadh Saudi Arabia

The Saudi-led coalition stated on X that their air defences successfully destroyed the projectile launched by the Iran-backed Houthi militia. This incident follows a pattern of heightened activity, with the coalition reporting that another ballistic missile headed towards the southern region was destroyed overnight. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, has faced near-daily strikes since a truce in the long-running conflict collapsed in July.

Saudi-led coalition forces intercepted a ballistic missile launched by Houthi militants towards Riyadh on Tuesday.

Recent tensions have impacted critical infrastructure, including the business district. On Sunday, November 8, the Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack that caused minor damage to the Aramco Tower, with Saudi authorities attributing the impact to falling shrapnel. Official images released on Tuesday showed local officials inspecting the building, where damage to several floors was visible. The Houthis have frequently targeted Aramco facilities, including refineries, storage areas, and tankers.

In retaliation, the coalition has intensified airstrikes against Houthi positions within Yemen. On Tuesday, reports from the Houthi-affiliated news agency Saba indicated that Saudi warplanes targeted a gas facility and a building linked to the Yemeni state oil company in Sanaa and its surrounding areas. The military coalition has been engaged in the conflict since March 2015, shortly after the Houthi group seized control of Sanaa and displaced the internationally recognised government.

Why it matters

The escalation of missile attacks on Riyadh and the subsequent retaliatory airstrikes on Sanaa represent a significant breakdown in regional stability. These persistent aerial threats disrupt daily life in the Saudi capital and pose ongoing risks to global energy infrastructure, given the frequent targeting of oil facilities.

For residents and observers in South Asia, the conflict remains a source of concern due to the large expatriate workforce in the Gulf region and the potential for broader economic impacts on energy supply chains. The continued instability underscores the fragility of the current security situation in the Middle East.