Blast in the Saudi Capital

An explosion was heard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s on Tuesday, and the cause was not immediately identified.

Many people have reported hearing loud bangs. And they were seeing a thin plume of smoke shortly before 1 p.m. over the capital—local Time (10 a.m. GMT).

Local rumors of an explosion and videos circulated on social media purporting to show a missile being intercepted over Riyadh were cited.

There was no immediate statement or assertion of responsibility from the Saudi authorities.

Since a Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in early 2015 to restore the government, the Houthis removed it.

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces have carried out several cross-border attacks on Saudi civilians using drones and missiles.

Missile attacks and drone strikes alleged by Houthi forces have attacked Saudi Arabia’s civilian airports. And oil facilities, touching Riyadh on occasion.

The Saudi-led military coalition operating in Yemen announced that it had intercepted and killed an “enemy air target” fired at Riyadh.

Although a previously unknown organization alleged it called itself Alwiya Alwaad Alhaq, the Houthis denied responsibility for that attack, which translates loosely as ‘The True Promise Brigades.’