A large plume of thick black smoke was seen rising near King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital on Saturday, following reported explosions and overnight air raid alerts warning residents of aerial threats. Footage and visual reports showed heavy smoke billowing near the airport complex and adjacent fuel storage facilities. The incident caused significant operational disruptions at the capital’s primary aviation hub, with FlightRadar24 assigning its highest disruption index of 5.0 due to extensive delays and flight cancellations.
The explosions follow an overnight warning issued by Saudi civil defense authorities urging residents to remain indoors. This marks the first air raid alert issued in the capital since fighting intensified with Yemen's Houthi movement. Local residents reported hearing multiple loud booms across several districts of Riyadh.
While Saudi officials have not officially confirmed the specific cause of the fire or the source of the aerial threat, the incident comes amid heightened regional tensions and escalating cross-border military engagements. Firefighters were seen responding to the scene near the airport perimeter. Here we are to serve you with news right now.
It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more.
You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper
Extract — continue reading at the source.
