Houthi Attack Sparks Fire Near Riyadh Airport

Thick smoke rose over Riyadh airport on Saturday after flames were reported near the site, hours after Yemen’s Houthis said they had targeted “sensitive” locations in Saudi Arabia’s capital using missiles and drones.

Saudi civil defence authorities issued air raid alerts by phone overnight, warning residents of possible aerial attacks. The message marked the first time such alerts had been sent for Riyadh since fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi movement escalated in July.

Smoke Over Riyadh Airport

Witnesses reported black smoke and fire visible in the direction of King Khalid International Airport. Firefighters battled a burning fuel tank carrying the logo of Saudi oil company Aramco near the airport, according to accounts from residents.

Several residents told Agence France-Presse that they then heard what sounded like additional rounds of explosions echoing across parts of the capital.

FlightRadar24 later said the airport faced “major problems” and listed Riyadh under its maximum disruption category.

Houthi Claim And Saudi Warnings

The Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had disrupted unspecified “criminal attempts” in Sana’a, while blaming Saudi Arabia and saying it would respond. He also claimed Saudi air forces had carried out hundreds of airstrikes against the Houthis in recent days.

Earlier on Friday, Saudi authorities had issued air raid alerts for Riyadh, Jeddah and other cities including Yanbu, a major industrial port with critical oil facilities. The Saudi-led military coalition said its air defences destroyed a missile fired by the Houthi group towards Riyadh.

After the alerts were lifted, residents were told not to gather in crowds.

UN Condemns Attacks, Calls for Arms Curbs

On Friday, the UN Security Council condemned continued Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, saying they had included strikes affecting civilian and energy infrastructure and injuring civilians, including women and children.

The council also criticised the Houthis’ military offensive in Yemen. The International Organization for Migration said on Wednesday that nearly 105,000 people have fled their homes in connection with the fighting.

In a call for action, the 15 Security Council members urged “practical cooperation” to stop the Houthis from acquiring arms, military training, financing and other military-related support. They also stressed that all countries should enforce the UN arms embargo on the group.

In recent weeks, the Houthis have seized control of the Red Sea islands of Greater and Lesser Hanish. Earlier this month they captured the port of Mokha and Perim island in the Bab al-Mandab strait, raising concerns about a potential second oil supply disruption.

Broader Regional Conflict

The Saudi-Houthi conflict has unfolded alongside a wider war that began after US and Israeli strikes against Iran at the end of February. Donald Trump has rejected Saudi calls for direct US military intervention against the Houthis.

A US State Department security alert issued on Saturday urged Americans in the Middle East to “exercise heightened vigilance”, and said those outside the region should seriously reconsider travel to and through it due to reported Houthi attacks.

Israel’s military also carried out airstrikes in several areas of southern Lebanon after it said two of its soldiers were wounded by a “Hezbollah explosive device”. Associated Press reported separately that Israeli strikes killed three men in the Gaza Strip.

In Iran, a man accused of spying for Israel was executed, in the latest case in a recent surge of executions.

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20 September 2026