Saudi Arabia lifts alerts for Mecca and four other locations

Saudi Civil Defence issued early-warning alerts for Mecca and four other western Saudi locations on September 24, then lifted them minutes later. Separately, the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted six ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis toward Taif and Yanbu. Officials did not specify what prompted each alert, and the reports do not establish whether the episode caused casualties or damage. The National Early Warning Platform issued notices for Mecca, Yanbu, Taif, Jeddah and Tabuk, according to Saudi Civil Defence. The public notice described a potential danger but did not identify a specific incoming weapon or say that every listed location was being targeted. Authorities announced that the alerts had ended a few minutes after they were issued. The coalition’s account of the missile interceptions was attributed to its spokesman, Turki al-Maliki. It said six ballistic missiles had been launched by the Houthis toward Taif and Yanbu and intercepted. The available reports provide no independent confirmation of the interceptions. They also do not establish that the warning for Mecca corresponded to an incoming projectile.