{
  "id": 8483396,
  "title": "Saudi Arabia: Plume of black smoke near Riyadh airport",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/saudi-arabia-plume-of-black-smoke-near-riyadh-airport-8483396",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-19T14:46:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW English (Top Stories)",
    "slug": "dw-english-top-stories",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/saudi-arabia-plume-of-black-smoke-near-riyadh-airport/a-79339010?maca=en-rss-en-top-1022-xml-mrss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Saturday near Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, black smoke was noticed in the air. Prior to this, explosions were heard in the area following warnings of a hostile aerial threat. This incident occurs in the wake of increased attacks by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi militants, and just days after Riyadh accused the Houthis of targeting the holy city of Mecca. However, the Houthis denied these allegations, labeling them as \"worn-out lies.\"\n\nReuters published video and photos of a large plume of black smoke emanating from an area near the airport, with a highway, the main terminal building and other structures visible in the background. Still, no casualties or damage has been reported following the alerts being lifted. The Saudi authorities have not disclosed what triggered the warnings or the origin of the explosions, although they had previously claimed to have intercepted incoming Houthi missiles and drones.\n\nA warning from the Saudi Civil Defense advised people to avoid gathering and taking photos or videos in the area, which was declared under a hostile aerial threat around 3:00 a.m. by residents in Riyadh. The AFP news agency reported hearing two explosions before the Saudi civil defense agency issued an all-clear message half an hour later. Similarly, Reuters reported overnight warnings in Riyadh and Al-Kharj, east of the capital, before an all-clear was issued. A journalist in Riyadh's Olaya area also claimed to have heard booms before the all-clear message was announced.\n\nThe King Khalid International Airport faced significant disruption according to FlightRadar24, which listed it under its maximum disruption index. The latest events come amid an escalation between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government in Yemen, supported by Saudi Arabia. The 2022 truce between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia collapsed in July when the rebels allowed an Iranian plane to land in Yemen's capital Sanaa, which defied Saudi control over Yemeni airspace. As a result, the Houthis declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, claiming dozens of Saudi strikes since their recent offensive to secure control over coastal areas near the Red Sea's Bab al-Mandab Strait, a crucial global shipping route.",
  "summary": "Smoke was seen billowing from a location near the main airport in Riyadh following overnight warnings of an aerial threat.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW News",
        "title": "Saudi Arabia: Plume of black smoke near Riyadh airport",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/saudi-arabia-plume-of-black-smoke-near-riyadh-airport",
        "published": "2026-09-19T14:46:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Tempo.co English",
        "title": "Saudi Arabia: Plume of Black Smoke Near Riyadh Airport",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/saudi-arabia-plume-of-black-smoke-near-riyadh-airport-8490005",
        "published": "2026-09-19T15:28:11.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}