Flames and smoke seen near Riyadh airport after warnings

A massive column of smoke and flames were visible near Riyadh's primary airport following booms heard overnight, prompting Saudi Arabia to issue alerts warning of potential danger in the capital and the city of Al-Kharj, east of Riyadh. The Saudi civil defense relayed the warnings by phone, before later declaring an all-clear. A Reuters journalist in Riyadh's Olaya area reported hearing booms prior to the all-clear.

FlightRadar24's aircraft tracking website flagged significant disruptions at the Saudi capital's King Khalid International Airport, including cancellations and delays, assigning it a maximum disruption index of 5.0. Hours after the initial alert, residents recounted hearing what sounded like additional explosions echoing through parts of Riyadh.

The Houthis, who have been launching attacks against Saudi Arabia since July in response to the US-Iran war, have targeted the Red Sea coast and vessels in recent days. Though previous alerts had been issued in Riyadh following the start of the conflict, these were the first since the Houthis escalated their attacks in July. The UN Security Council recently condemned the Houthis for their continued assaults on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure that have caused civilian injuries.