International
oi-Swastika Sruti
Residents in Riyadh were startled on Saturday after a large column of black smoke and flames was spotted near King Khalid International Airport. The incident came hours after Saudi authorities issued emergency warnings over a possible aerial threat in the capital and other parts of the country.
Black smoke and flames were observed near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, following emergency warnings issued by Saudi authorities about a potential aerial threat, which caused flight disruptions.
The sight of smoke near one of Saudi Arabia’s busiest airports quickly drew attention, particularly as flight-tracking data showed significant disruption to aircraft arriving at the airport.
Thick Black Smoke Spotted Near Airport
Footage and pictures taken in Riyadh revealed a huge amount of smoke pluming into the air from an area near the airport. The airport highway and terminal building were partly visible in the background.
However, what exactly caused the fire remained unclear for the moment, and there was also no immediate official statement as to whether the event was linked to the earlier warning about a possible aerial threat.
King Khalid Airport
Riyadh, #KSA 🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/WM6thvJc35— Shin (@hey_itsmyturn) September 19, 2026
This followed reports by the people of Riyadh regarding noises being heard in the city at night.
Saudi Arabia Issues Aerial Threat Alerts
Emergency alerts were issued by the Saudi authorities on Friday and Saturday mornings, advising the people in Riyadh and other regions to be on the lookout due to a perceived “hostile aerial threat.”
It was quite important as this was the first time that Riyadh had received such an alert since the last escalation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group.
An all-clear signal followed after the first alert. The second alert was then issued in Riyadh and Al-Kharj before the situation was brought under control.
Flights Disrupted At Riyadh Airport
The security alerts also had an impact on air traffic. Flight-tracking data indicated substantial problems with aircraft arriving at King Khalid International Airport, including delays and disruptions.
The airport is a major international aviation hub, handling flights to destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Europe and other regions. Any security-related disruption can therefore have a wider impact on passengers and airline operations.
At the time of reporting, details about the number of affected flights and the duration of the disruption were still emerging.
