Saudi Arabia: Flames and black smoke seen near Riyadh international airport after “hostile aerial threat” alert amid growing tensions with Houthis

Flames and a large plume of black smoke were seen by residents in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, near the city’s international airport on Saturday.
Flames and black smoke seen near Riyadh Airport (Image via X)

Flames and a large plume of black smoke were seen near Riyadh’s international airport in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, 19th September. The incident came hours after Saudi authorities issued alerts warning of a possible “hostile aerial threat” over the Saudi capital and other parts of the country. 

The development also came as flight-tracking data showed major disruption at the airport. According to Flightradar24 data cited in reports, both the arrival and departure delay indices reached 5, the highest level on its disruption scale. The platform describes a score between 3.5 and 5 as indicating major problems, including long delays and several cancellations.

Two residents in Riyadh told AFP they saw black smoke and fire in the direction of the airport. Reuters footage and photographs also showed a huge plume of black smoke rising near the airport, with the airport highway, main terminal and other facilities visible in the foreground. 

Saudi Arabia issues aerial threat alerts in Riyadh

Saudi Civil Defence sent emergency alerts to residents in Riyadh and nearby Al-Kharj early Saturday, warning of potential danger. Residents were advised to remain indoors and follow safety instructions. The authorities later issued an all-clear, saying the danger had passed.

The alerts were significant because they were the first issued in Riyadh since the latest escalation involving Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group began in July. Saudi Arabia has faced increasing attacks from the Houthis in recent weeks as fighting in Yemen has intensified.

Houthi-Saudi hostilities intensify

The latest incident comes amid a wider escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen. The group has intensified attacks on Saudi Arabia after announcing a naval blockade against the kingdom recently.

On 15th September, Saudi Arabia issued an alert about possible assaults on the Islamic holy city of Mecca, along with the governorates of Jeddah and Taif, after the country was repeatedly targeted by Yemen-based Shiite Houthis in recent days. However, the alert was lifted later. Notably, it was the first such alert in Mecca since the start of the latest Middle East conflict.

That evening, Saudi Arabia’s air defence systems intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter the prohibited airspace over the Islamic holy city.

According to spokesperson Turki al-Malki, the drone attack marked the second reported Houthi attempt to target Mecca, following a ballistic missile launch in July 2017. The incident comes amid a rise in attacks by Iran-aligned fighters across the region, drawing Saudi Arabia further into the ongoing Middle East conflict. Saudi authorities had also issued security alerts in parts of the country, including Mecca and other cities.

The Houthis have also targeted Saudi vessels and infrastructure, raising concerns about the oil shipments. The Red Sea route has become particularly important as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has also faced disruption amid the Middle East conflict.

The United Nations Security Council has condemned continued Houthi attacks affecting Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure. The group has also accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out attacks in Yemen and has threatened retaliation.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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