Large plume of black smoke rises from the fuel storage depot at King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sept 19, 2026. — Reuters

RIYADH: A large plume of black smoke and flames were seen near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday after residents reported loud explosions and Saudi authorities issued overnight warnings about a potential aerial threat.

Saudi Civil Defence sent emergency alerts to residents in Riyadh and the nearby city of Al-Kharj during the early hours of Saturday, advising people to remain indoors because of what the warning described as a “hostile aerial threat”. An all-clear was issued later in the morning.

Reuters footage and photographs showed a large column of black smoke rising close to the airport, while flames were also visible in the area. The exact cause of the fire and smoke had not immediately been confirmed by Saudi authorities.

Flights Disrupted at Riyadh Airport

The incident also affected air traffic at Riyadh’s main airport.

Flight-tracking service FlightRadar24 reported major disruption at King Khalid International Airport, including significant delays and cancelled flights. The airport reached the highest level on the service’s disruption index.

The disruption came after the overnight security alerts and reports of explosions in the Saudi capital.

Saudi government officials had not immediately provided details about what triggered the alerts or the source of the smoke.

First Riyadh Alert Amid Latest Houthi Escalation

The incident comes amid increased attacks involving Yemen’s Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia.

Reuters reported that the latest warnings were the first issued in Riyadh since the current escalation with the Houthis began in July, although Saudi Arabia had issued other security alerts earlier this year amid the wider regional conflict.

The Houthis have launched attacks toward Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, while the group says its actions are linked to Saudi military operations in Yemen.

On Friday, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had foiled what he described as “criminal attempts” in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and threatened a response.

Regional Security Concerns Grow

The latest incident follows a series of security alerts across Saudi Arabia. Earlier this week, Saudi authorities also reported the interception of a Houthi drone south of Makkah, although the Houthis denied targeting the holy city.

The United Nations Security Council has condemned continued Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, including attacks affecting civilian and energy infrastructure.

The escalation has also raised concerns about energy supplies and shipping routes in the region, particularly because the Houthis control parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline near the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb waterway.

As authorities assess the latest incident near Riyadh airport, the cause of the smoke and the extent of any damage remain subject to official confirmation.