A large fire broke out near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday with sending thick black smoke into the sky and causing severe flight disruptions.
The incident led to widespread delays and cancellations. Aircraft-tracking website Flightradar24 recorded a maximum disruption index of 5.0 for the hub that indicating severe operational challenges for travelers.
The exact cause of the fire which witnesses reported seeing near a fuel storage depot remains unknown. The Saudi government has not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident or the extent of the damage.
The fire occurred shortly after Saudi authorities triggered overnight air raid alerts across several regions including Riyadh and the country's south. These warnings follow heightened regional tensions; Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels recently accused Saudi Arabia of conducting drone operations over Sanaa and threatened retaliatory strikes.
However, despite the tense timing, Saudi officials have not officially linked the airport fire to the security alerts or the Houthi threats. The situation remains developing as authorities work to assess the incident and restore normal airport operations.
