Saudi Arabia Issues Hazard Alert for Mecca and Jeddah

Saudi Arabia’s civil defence authority issued a “potential danger” alert for four provinces in the west of the country, including the holy city of Mecca, on Saturday (24 October), local time. The reason for the alert was not disclosed publicly.

The alert also covered Jeddah, a major city on the Red Sea, as well as Taif and Yanbu, a coastal oil-industry hub, AFP reported on Saturday (24 October 2026). It was withdrawn a few minutes after being issued.

The alert instructed local residents to “immediately head to the nearest safe place”.

Saudi civil defence authorities also issued a legal warning against disseminating images or information related to efforts to “intercept missiles and drones”.

The alert came as Saudi Arabia has repeatedly come under attack from the Iran-backed Houthi group, based in Yemen, in recent weeks.

The Houthis have targeted oil infrastructure and civilian airports in Saudi Arabia in a series of missile and drone attacks. One of their deadliest strikes hit an airport in Riyadh earlier this month, killing at least 13 people and injuring dozens more.

Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen, has been drawn into a conflict that reignited last July after easing for years following a ceasefire agreed in 2022.

The Saudi-led coalition has supported Yemeni government forces in their latest operations against the Houthis throughout October, seeking to retake territory controlled by the group. The coalition has carried out a series of air strikes against Houthi facilities and military positions in Yemen.

In response, the Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi vessels in the Red Sea and launched attacks on Saudi territory.