Smoke, flames seen near Riyadh airport, ‘major’ flight disruptions reported

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Smoke and flames were seen near the country's main airport on Saturday following booms heard and Saudi Arabia's midnight alerts warning of potential danger, as the conflict with Yemen's Houthi group intensifies. Video and photographs from Reuters depict a massive column of black smoke ascending from the airport area, with the highway, primary terminal building, and other facilities visible in the background.

Flames were captured rising from what appeared to be fuel tanks at one point in the footage. Despite the alarming scene, there was no immediate response from Saudi Arabia's media office regarding the incident.

Saudi civil defense forces sent out phone alerts overnight for the possibility of aerial attacks in Riyadh and Al-Kharj, a city east of the capital. They later declared an all-clear in the morning. A Reuters journalist in Riyadh's Olaya area reportedly heard booms before the all-clear was given. While some such alerts have been issued in Riyadh this year since the onset of the US-Iran war, these were the first since the conflict escalated with Houthi attacks in July.

The Houthi group, which governs the majority of Yemen and significant northern regions, has been targeting Saudi Arabia since initiating a naval blockade against Riyadh in July. Their attacks have struck Saudi vessels in the Red Sea, cities, energy facilities, and shipping, posing a threat to global oil supplies and disrupting the alternative Red Sea route for Gulf exports.

On Friday, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the group had thwarted "criminal attempts" in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, blaming Saudi Arabia and threatening a retaliation. The group, which recently seized the entire Red Sea coast of Yemen, accuses Saudi Arabia's Air Force of conducting hundreds of airstrikes against it in recent days.

The UN Security Council strongly condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia on Friday, particularly those that affected civilian and energy infrastructure, resulting in injuries among civilians, including women and children. The Security Council also denounced the "Houthi military escalation in Yemen."