Saudi Arabia Issues Hazard Warning for Mecca and Three Other Regions

Saudi Arabia issued a warning of potential danger in four provinces in the west of the country, including the holy city of Mecca, on Saturday (24 October 2026), local time. However, the authorities did not explain the reason for the alert.

The warning also covered Jeddah, a major city on the Red Sea coast, Taif and Yanbu, known as one of the region’s oil industry centres. Residents were briefly told to seek shelter, but the warning was withdrawn a few minutes after it was issued.

In the alert, residents were told to “immediately go to the nearest safe place”.

Saudi civil defence authorities also warned the public not to circulate photographs or information about efforts to intercept missiles and drones. The ban was accompanied by a warning of legal consequences for those who breached it.

The alert came as Saudi Arabia has repeatedly been attacked in recent weeks by the Iran-backed Houthi group, which is based in Yemen.

The Houthis have targeted oil infrastructure and civilian airports in Saudi Arabia in a series of missile and drone attacks. One of their deadliest attacks 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 flared up again last July after years of relative calm following a ceasefire agreed in 2022.

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

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