Smoke and flames rise near Riyadh airport after Saudi air raid alert, with no official cause given

Smoke and flames were seen near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh early on Sept. 19, after Saudi civil defense authorities had issued an overnight air raid alert covering Riyadh and Al-Kharj, according to Reuters. The warning was later lifted on Saturday morning, but Saudi officials had not explained the cause of the fire or confirmed whether the area had come under attack. Reuters said video from the area showed a large column of black smoke rising near the airport, with flames visible behind what appeared to be a fuel storage facility. Flight tracking platform Flightradar24 also rated disruption at King Khalid International Airport at the maximum level of 5.0, indicating severe operational problems, long delays, and multiple cancellations. Reuters said it sought comment from the Saudi government media office about both the smoke and the nighttime warning but did not receive an immediate response. The report also noted ongoing fighting between Yemen’s Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, as well as a same-day phone call between Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on energy supplies and safe maritime passage.