Saudi airport fire disrupts flights as air raid alert rises, with black smoke and flames visible near Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. Flight tracking site reports major disruptions, including cancellations and delays. The incident follows an overnight air raid alert issued by Saudi authorities, the first since fighting in neighboring Yemen intensified.
Firefighters attempt to extinguish flames from a burning Aramco fuel tank near the airport, while residents report hearing explosions. The alert comes amid an escalation in attacks by Yemen's Houthi group, which has staged a lightning offensive this month, seizing territory in one of the world's poorest countries. Saudi Arabia has conducted scores of air strikes on Houthi-held areas but has failed to stop the advance.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi group, which has denied accusations of targeting Mecca. The conflict in Yemen has displaced over 112,000 people, with nearly 3,000 fleeing to Djibouti. The UN reported the displacement figures, while the US has approved a $24.3 billion sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to help deter future threats.
The Houthi group has reported scores of retaliatory strikes against Saudi Arabia since their offensive to control the Red Sea coast. The conflict has led to a fragile truce between the warring parties collapsing in July, following the Houthis' defiance of Riyadh's control over Yemeni airspace.