Saudi forces said on Tuesday they had intercepted a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Houthi group toward the capital Riyadh, the Saudi-led military coalition said, following security alerts and reports of explosions in the city.

"The kingdom intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards Riyadh," said Turki Al-Malki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government, according to AFP. Riyadh was shaken by two blasts, AFP journalists in the capital reported. Anadolu reported the same coalition announcement, saying coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki confirmed the missile was directed at Riyadh and was intercepted before reaching its intended target.

Saudi Civil Defense issued an emergency warning through X, saying a warning had been issued by the National Early Warning Platform in Riyadh City "to alert for a potential danger." A few minutes later the alert was lifted, with the civil defence saying "the danger has passed." Anadolu reported authorities also urged residents to avoid unnecessary gatherings and refrain from filming during security incidents.

No casualties were reported in the initial AFP and Anadolu reports. The interception comes amid renewed hostilities between the coalition and the Houthis, who have carried out missile and drone attacks targeting the kingdom. AFP reported Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have reached an unprecedented scale, forcing the postponement of a major investment conference and the shutdown of Riyadh airport, while the Saudi air force has regularly targeted the group in retaliation amid fighting inside Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has headed a military coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government since March 2015. The Houthis have controlled Yemen's capital Sanaa and several other provinces since September 2014, Anadolu noted. For the lakhs of Indian and Punjabi workers living in Saudi Arabia and across the Gulf, alerts in the capital are followed closely for airspace, airport and workplace safety. Sources: AFP via The News, and Anadolu via The Chronicle.