Flight operations at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport were disrupted on Saturday after residents reported explosions and smoke near the airport, prompting a rare overnight air-raid warning in the Saudi capital. Flight-tracking data showed major delays and several cancellations, with the airport flagged at its highest disruption level.
Saudi civil defence later lifted the alert after issuing an all-clear, but the cause of the smoke and explosions was not immediately confirmed. The Huthi movement in Yemen claimed attacks on Riyadh and Saudi oil facilities as regional tensions escalated. Some reports described black smoke and flames near fuel storage areas close to the airport, although authorities did not immediately say the airport itself had been struck.
The disruption affected one of Saudi Arabia’s main aviation hubs and quickly spread through the schedule, forcing airlines and passengers to contend with operational restrictions during a period of heightened security concern.