RIYADH (Reuters) – A large cloud of smoke was seen near Riyadh’s main airport on Saturday the 19th, following the sound of explosions, and Saudi Arabia issued alerts during the early hours warning of a possible danger to the capital region, amid an escalation in attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group.
Videos and photographs from Reuters showed a huge column of black smoke rising in the area, with the airport road, the main terminal building, and other facilities in the foreground. At one point in the video, flames were visible rising behind what appeared to be fuel tanks.
Read also: China pressures Iran to curb the Houthis after Saudi appeal, Reuters reports
There was no immediate comment from the Saudi government’s press office in response to Reuters’ questions about the smoke and the alerts issued overnight.
Saudi Civil Defense sent the alerts by telephone during the overnight hours about a possible danger of air strikes in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj, east of the capital, before issuing an end-of-alert notice on Saturday morning. A Reuters journalist in the Olaya area of Riyadh heard booming sounds before the end-of-alert notice was issued.
Although some alerts have been issued in Riyadh this year after the start of the war between the US and Iran, those were the first since the escalation began with the Houthis in July.
Houthi Threat
The Houthis, who control the most populous regions of Yemen and a large part of the north of the country, have been launching attacks against Saudi Arabia since they declared a naval blockade against Riyadh in July, with attacks directed at Saudi vessels in the Red Sea.
The attacks target Saudi cities, energy infrastructure, and maritime transport, creating new threats to global oil supply and jeopardizing the main alternative route through the Red Sea for Gulf exports, while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked.
