Flames and thick black smoke were seen rising near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, as emergency crews responded to a fire close to the airport’s fuel storage area.
Footage showed a large column of smoke rising behind airport buildings, with flames visible near what appeared to be fuel tanks. Firefighters were called in and worked to bring the blaze under control.
An AFP journalist reported that firefighters extinguished a fire on a fuel tank carrying the logo of Saudi oil company Aramco at a nearby fuel depot.
The incident came after Saudi authorities issued alerts warning residents of potential danger around Riyadh. The warnings followed reports of explosions in the capital amid an escalation in attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement.
The Houthis later claimed they had launched attacks on what they described as sensitive sites in Riyadh using missiles and drones. Saudi authorities said a ballistic missile aimed at the capital had been intercepted.
The exact cause of the fire near the airport was initially unclear, and officials did not immediately confirm whether the blaze was directly connected to the reported attacks.
Saudi civil defence later issued an all-clear after the alerts, while emergency teams continued dealing with the fire and assessing the situation around the airport.
The incident has added to concerns over the security of critical aviation and energy infrastructure as regional tensions continue to escalate.
