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Huge black smoke, flames seen near Riyadh airport; flights face major disruption amid Saudi-Houthi conflict

Huge black smoke, flames seen near Riyadh airport; flights face major disruption amid Saudi-Houthi conflict

Supporters of the Houthi authorities brandish their weapons and hold placards showing the Kaaba and reading "For it, we willingly offer our souls" during a protest against the Saudi intervention in Yemen and against Saudi Arabia's recent accusation that the Houthis fired at the holy city of Mecca, in Sanaa on September 18, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)

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Huge black smoke and flames were reported near Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, triggering major flight delays and cancellations amid escalating fighting between Saudi Arabia and Houthi rebels.

Huge black smoke and fumes were seen rising near Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Saturday (Sept 19), with two eyewitnesses in the Saudi capital confirming the incident, AFP reported.

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 also reported major disruptions at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, including flight cancellations and delays, after residents reported seeing smoke and flames near the airport.

The airport was placed under FlightRadar24’s highest disruption index of 5.0, indicating "major problems with long delays and several cancelled flights".

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The disruption came after Saudi authorities issued an overnight air raid alert, the first such alert since fighting in neighbouring Yemen intensified this month.

The latest developments come as the Kingdom remains locked in an escalating conflict with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The fighting has also led to attacks on Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure, including major ports and refineries, pushing oil prices above $100 for weeks.

Saudi Arabia, a major Gulf ally of the United States and a treaty-bound defence partner of Pakistan and Turkey under the recently signed Mecca pact, has not yet received significant support from its partners, according to the information provided. The Kingdom is also facing a significant impact on its major source of revenue, oil exports.

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Ajaypal Choudhary

Driven by a deep interest in international politics and geo-economics, Ajaypal Choudhary writes on and analyses a wide range of subjects from geopolitics and the global economy to ...Read More