One dead in suicide attack at Saudi mosque: ministry

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a mosque in Najran in southern Saudi Arabia on Monday, killing at least one person, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television reported.

The attack on the Al-Mashhad mosque occurred during evening prayers, and authorities were investigating the bombing, local Saudi news channels reported, without giving further details.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. A suspect was injured in the blast, Saudi’s Al-Ikhbariya channel said.

The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has targeted Saudi Arabia on several occasions in recent months. Najran is located on the border with Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is leading a military coalition against Shia Houthi rebels, who have also vowed attacks on Saudi Arabia.

About half of Najran’s population belongs to the Shia community. The Houthis launched 13 shells into Najran and nearby Jizan in July.

Al-Arabiya reported earlier Monday that Saudi authorities had broken a plot by Houthi rebels to infiltrate the kingdom’s southwestern border with Yemen.

Al Jazeera and wire services