Black smoke, flames rising near Riyadh airport: residents to AFP

On Saturday, September 19, a plume of smoke was spotted near Riyadh's main airport following booms and Saudi alerts warning of potential danger around the capital. The incident occurred amid an escalation in attacks by Yemen's Houthi group. Video footage and photographs captured a massive column of black smoke rising, with flames visible near what appeared to be fuel tanks.

The airport highway, main terminal building, and other facilities were visible in the background. Saudi civil defense issued the alerts overnight for potential danger of aerial attacks in Riyadh and Al-Kharj, east of the capital, before declaring an all-clear on Saturday morning. This marks the first such alert since the conflict with the Houthis began in July.

The Houthis, who control most of Yemen and parts of the north, have been launching attacks on Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade in July. The assaults have targeted Saudi vessels in the Red Sea, cities, energy infrastructure, and shipping, threatening global oil supplies and disrupting the Red Sea route for Gulf exports.

On Friday, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the group had thwarted "criminal attempts" in Sanaa, blaming Saudi Arabia and promising a response. The UN Security Council denounced the continued Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, including strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure, resulting in civilian injuries, including women and children.