Residents of Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh reported seeing flames and a large plume of black smoke near the city's international airport on Saturday, hours after authorities issued emergency alerts warning of a “hostile aerial threat”.
An AFP journalist at the scene reported that a fuel tank bearing the logo of Saudi oil giant Aramco was on fire. Reuters footage and photographs also showed a huge column of black smoke rising near the airport, with the airport highway, main terminal building and other facilities visible in the foreground.
The exact cause of the fire had not been officially established at the time of reporting. Saudi authorities had not immediately commented on the smoke or the overnight alerts.
“In the direction of the airport we saw black smoke and fire,” AFP quoted a Riyadh resident as saying.
The incident also coincided with major disruption to flights at the airport. Data from Flightradar24 showed both its arrival delay index and departure delay index at 5, the highest level on its five-point disruption scale. According to the flight-tracking website, a score between 3.5 and 5 indicates major problems, including long delays and several cancellations.
Overnight alerts preceded smoke and flames
The reports of smoke came after Saudi Arabia sent emergency alerts to residents late on Friday and early Saturday, warning of a potential “hostile aerial threat”. Alerts were issued in Riyadh as well as Al-Kharj, a city east of the capital.
The warning was the first such alert issued in Riyadh since the latest escalation of hostilities involving Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement.
Saudi civil defence later issued an all-clear on Saturday morning. A Reuters journalist in Riyadh's Olaya district reported hearing booms before the all-clear was announced.
At the time of reporting, Saudi authorities had not said what prompted the alerts or whether the fire near the airport was directly linked to any incoming attack. Reuters reported that the cause of the smoke remained unclear.
Rising tensions with Houthis disrupt regional security
The latest incident comes amid a renewed escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. The hostilities intensified in July, when the Houthis announced a naval blockade targeting Saudi-linked shipping and began launching attacks against Saudi Arabia.
In early July 2026, an Iranian civilian aircraft flew to Sanaa International Airport carrying a Houthi delegation and patients travelling to Tehran for the funeral of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Al Jazeera.
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces subsequently carried out airstrikes targeting the runway at Sanaa International Airport, reportedly to prevent or punish the landing of the Iranian aircraft.
Following the strikes, Houthi leaders threatened to blockade Saudi shipping in the Red Sea and subsequently launched attacks against Saudi vessels in the region.
The attacks have raised concerns about global oil supplies and the security of the Red Sea, which provides a major alternative route for Gulf energy exports while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains affected.
The UN Security Council has condemned the Houthis' military escalation and attacks on Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure, warning that the developments could further expand the conflict and threaten maritime security and international trade.
Saudi Arabia faces growing threats to energy infrastructure
The latest fire near Riyadh comes amid wider attacks affecting Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure.
Three pumping stations along Saudi Aramco's East-West Pipeline were recently damaged in a drone attack originating from Iraq, according to Reuters. The 1,200-kilometre pipeline is an important route for transporting Saudi crude while bypassing disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.
The reported damage temporarily forced the pipeline to shut down. Industry sources cited by Reuters said the pipeline normally carries around 4 million to 5 million barrels of oil a day, equivalent to roughly 4% to 5% of global oil supply.
Aramco has also reportedly halted some October crude deliveries to European refiners following the pipeline attack, while efforts are under way to restore operations.
Saudi Arabia reports first death in Houthi conflict
Saudi Arabia's civil defence confirmed its first death linked to the latest escalation earlier this week. The agency said falling shrapnel from the interception of a drone killed a Yemeni national.
A Saudi female citizen and a Pakistani national were also injured by falling fragments and were reported to be in critical condition.
The development followed an accusation by Riyadh that the Houthis had launched a “cowardly” attack targeting Mecca, one of Islam's holiest cities. The Houthis denied the allegation.
In Yemen, at least five people were killed as Saudi Arabia and the Houthis exchanged strikes. The two sides have continued trading fire since the Saudi-backed attack on Sanaa airport in July, effectively ending a truce that had been in place since 2022.
The latest escalation has heightened concerns over regional security, air travel, maritime trade and energy supplies, although the precise cause of the fire seen near Riyadh airport on Saturday remained unclear.