Riyadh: Flames and a large plume of black smoke were seen near King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, September 19, after loud booms were heard in the Saudi capital amid an escalation in attacks involving Yemen’s Houthi group.
Reuters footage and photographs showed a large column of black smoke rising near the airport, with flames visible at one point behind what appeared to be fuel storage tanks. The exact cause of the fire and the extent of any damage were not immediately confirmed by Saudi authorities.
Saudi civil defence had issued overnight alerts warning residents of potential danger from aerial attacks in Riyadh and Al-Kharj, east of the capital. Authorities later issued an all-clear on Saturday morning. A Reuters journalist in Riyadh’s Olaya district also reported hearing booms before the all-clear.
The Saudi government media office did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for information about the smoke and the overnight warnings. AP reported that no casualties or damage had been officially reported after the alerts were lifted.
The incident also caused significant disruption at King Khalid International Airport. Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 reported major delays and cancellations, with the airport reaching its highest disruption level on its index.
Houthi-Saudi Escalation
The incident comes amid a sharp escalation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement. The Houthis have intensified attacks against Saudi targets and shipping in the Red Sea after declaring a naval blockade against Riyadh in July.
The latest developments follow Saudi airstrikes in Yemen. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said on Friday that the group had accused Saudi Arabia of attacks in Sanaa and threatened a response. The Houthis have also claimed that Saudi forces carried out extensive airstrikes in recent days.
On Friday, the UN Security Council condemned continued Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, including attacks affecting civilian and energy infrastructure, and also condemned the group’s military escalation in Yemen.
The cause of the incident near Riyadh airport and the extent of any damage remain under assessment.
