Air-raid alert in Riyadh as smoke, flames seen near airport
An air-raid alert sent to phones in Riyadh was followed by loud noises and black smoke near King Khalid International Airport before authorities declared all-clear
Panic gripped the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh on Friday night after an air-raid alert was sent to residents' mobile phones over fears of an aerial attack. People in Riyadh and the nearby Al-Kharj area were told to remain alert.
Loud noises were then heard across the city, and large amounts of black smoke and flames were seen rising near King Khalid International Airport. The incident also affected flight services at the airport.
The Saudi Civil Defense system issued the alert citing the risk of a possible enemy air attack during the night. Residents were told to stay indoors and not step out until further notice. The alert was later withdrawn after officials said the situation was under control.
Riyadh has issued some security alerts before, but this is being described as the first major air-raid alert for the capital since the conflict with Yemen's Houthis intensified again. The incident has raised security concerns in the capital.
Following the alert, a large amount of black smoke was seen spreading in the sky near King Khalid International Airport. Some videos also showed flames along with the smoke. The footage suggests the smoke was coming from near a fuel storage area at the airport.
However, Saudi authorities did not immediately provide clear information on the actual cause of the fire or whether the airport was directly attacked. As a result, the full extent of the incident's impact is not yet completely clear.
The alert in Riyadh comes amid escalating conflict between Yemen's Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia. Houthi attacks targeting Saudi cities, energy infrastructure and ships in the Red Sea have increased, while Saudi Arabia has also been carrying out air strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen.
The conflict is not expected to remain confined to Saudi Arabia alone, with concerns being raised about growing pressure on Red Sea shipping and global oil supplies. Following this latest alert in Riyadh, the world is watching closely to see which direction the Middle East conflict takes next.
According to the latest information, Saudi authorities issued an all-clear after the alert, saying the situation was under control, but it has significantly affected operations at the airport.
