Two big explosions heard in Saudi capital Riyadh

RIYADH: Several loud ​bangs were ‌heard in the Saudi ​capital ​Riyadh on Wednesday evening, and ​some of ​the city’s residents received phone calls to stay alert, ⁠warning them of a ​hostile ​aerial ⁠threat.

Multiple blasts were recorded, with residents reporting hearing at least four loud blasts over Riyadh. The country’s authorities confirmed that the air defences were engaging a ballistic missile threat over the capital.

Multiple explosions rocked Riyadh, hours after Iran warned it would target five oil and gas facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar in retaliation for an Israeli strike on its South Pars gasfield.

Sources describe the bangs as having been caused by an interceptor missile after shooting up into the sky shortly to hunt down the missiles launched by Iran.

A group of journalists from the AFP news agency also reported the bangs hearing, while Reuters witnesses corroborated at least two distinct booms. Though casualties related updates or damages being made are yet to become part of the record.

According to other sources, residents, at approximately 7:23 pm local time, received sudden national warning alerts on their mobile phones from Saudi Civil Defence.

Citizens who received the random calls from the offices were in both Arabic and English languages, warning, “the area is under a hostile aerial threat” and instructed people to “remain calm, stay indoors or in a safe place away from windows and doors.”

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been a regular target of both Iranian missile and drone attacks, as Tehran has repeatedly said these attacks are only part of the retaliation. They have a full right to defend themselves, and therefore, the country will continue to retaliate, they said.

The Saudi defence ministry said, “Air defences are dealing with a ballistic threat in Riyadh.”