Xinhua reported that loud explosions were heard over Riyadh on Thursday evening, prompting residents in the capital to receive alerts via mobile applications.
Local authorities reportedly issued a warning of a "hostile aerial threat" over the city, according to a L'Orient Today editorial that cited statements from Saudi officials.
Residents in Riyadh were warned that at least eight separate explosions had been heard, a figure that Saudi officials confirmed to the public and to media outlets.
While Saudi authorities suggested that the explosions were the result of downed Houthi missiles, that claim has not yet been corroborated by independent verification. No further details have emerged regarding casualties, damage or the exact source of the blasts, and Xinhua has not released additional information beyond the initial alert notification.