Riyadh: Smoke and flames were seen near a Saudi Aramco facility in Riyadh on Saturday, October 3, amid heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement.
A Reuters witness reported seeing a large plume of smoke and fire in the vicinity of the Aramco facility. Videos circulating on social media also showed smoke and flames, while satellite imagery appeared to show smoke over parts of the Saudi capital. The cause of the incident could not be independently verified.
There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities or Aramco about the incident, including whether the Aramco facility itself was damaged or whether operations were affected. No group had immediately claimed responsibility for the fire.
Separately, claims circulating online that King Khalid International Airport had been closed were not supported by available flight-tracking information.
The incident came amid renewed tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis, who have recently intensified attacks and threats involving Saudi cities and energy infrastructure. Reuters reported on October 2 that Saudi Arabia was considering a military offensive against Houthi forces in Yemen amid the escalation.
The Houthis have previously claimed attacks targeting Saudi energy facilities. Saudi Arabia has also reported intercepting missiles launched toward areas including Taif and Yanbu, although the circumstances and impact of individual incidents have varied.
The latest fire has raised questions over the security of Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure, but its cause and any connection to the wider conflict remain unconfirmed.
