Smoke seen near Riyadh airport after Houthi alert
Smoke was seen near Riyadh King Khalid International Airport after overnight alerts warned of a potential Houthi attack. A huge black plume rose above the airport’s highway and terminal, with flames visible near what appeared to be fuel tanks. The incident prompted Saudi civil defence to issue a warning to residents of Riyadh and Al‑Kharj, only to lift the alert an hour later with an all‑clear message.
FlightRadar24 logged major disruptions at the airport, reporting cancellations and long delays that pushed the facility to a maximum disruption index of 5.0. Airlines scrambled to reschedule flights, and passengers were left stranded as the airport’s operations ground to a halt. The Saudi government’s media office remained silent on the incident, offering no comment on the source of the threat or the nature of the attack.
The event marks the first time since the July escalation that the Houthi rebels have threatened the Saudi capital. The Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen’s north, have intensified attacks on Saudi shipping and infrastructure, citing a naval blockade and retaliatory strikes by the Saudi Air Force. The United Nations and the U.S. have condemned the renewed Houthi aggression, with Washington recently approving a $24.3 billion sale of F‑35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to bolster its defenses.
Local residents described the experience as terrifying, with alarms sounding at 3 a.m. and windows shuddering from the blasts. The incident underscores the fragile security situation in the region, where Houthi advances along Yemen’s Red Sea coast threaten global oil supplies and trade routes such as the Bab al‑Mandab and the Strait of Hormuz.
While the Saudi authorities have not identified the origin of the attack, the incident highlights the broader geopolitical tensions that have escalated since the U.S.–Iran war began nearly seven months ago. As the Houthi rebels continue to upgrade their defenses, the international community watches closely, wary of further disruptions to global commerce and regional stability.
