Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter and key strategic ally of the United States has put security forces on high alert for a possible militant attack in the coming days.
“We have informed security forces to be on alert and to take any necessary security procedures” after gathering information about “a possible terrorist attack attempt”, Interior Ministry spokesman General Mansour Al Turki said on Monday.
Al-Turki said he had no additional information about the threat.
Authorities say that security has been heightened around shopping centres and Aramco installations after receiving information possible terror threats from extremist groups.
Turki denied that the threats have anything to do with Riyadh’s aggression on Yemen by saying, “Saudi Arabia is targeted by terrorism. Usually in such situations (conflicts), there are attempts by terrorist groups to take advantage and carry out attacks.”
Several arrests in the past few weeks had been made by the Saudi police in a move to crack down on potential threats.
The world’s largest oil exporter is highly fearful of vengeance attacks by Houthi fighters against its oil installations.