A fire is burning at an Aramco fuel storage depot near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Reuters video and photographs show a large plume of black smoke rising near the airport, with flames visible behind what appeared to be fuel tanks. An AFP journalist confirmed firefighters were battling a burning Aramco-branded fuel tank at the site. FlightRadar24 listed King Khalid International Airport at disruption index 5.0, its maximum level, indicating "major problems with long delays and several cancelled flights." Normal traffic later began to resume, according to FlightRadar24.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on "sensitive sites" in Riyadh. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group used "a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones" in two separate operations. Sarea did not specify the Riyadh targets. This claim has not been independently verified.
What is confirmed
Saudi Civil Defence sent phone alerts just before 3:00 a.m. local time Saturday, warning of "a hostile aerial threat" in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj to the east. Authorities urged residents to stay indoors. An all-clear was issued Saturday morning. According to multiple outlets, these were the first such alerts issued for Riyadh since the current Houthi escalation began in July 2026.
A Reuters journalist in Riyadh's Olaya district heard booms before the all-clear was sent. AFP journalists reported hearing two explosions. A 27-year-old resident in northern Riyadh told AFP: "I heard the alarm, then my windows shook. It was definitely scary. I was not expecting this." As of mid-afternoon Saturday, the Saudi government media office had not responded to Reuters' request for comment on the cause of the fire.
Observers are reading: how Saudi Arabia's silence on the Riyadh strike compares with its response pattern in prior Houthi attacks.
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What remains unconfirmed
Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the Houthi claim of responsibility for the Riyadh fire or the Yanbu strike. No casualty figures have been released. The extent of damage at Yanbu is unknown. As of mid-afternoon Saturday, Riyadh's silence on the cause of the airport fire continues.
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