A large plume of black smoke was seen on Saturday near King Khalid Airport in Riyadh. This incident occurred after an airstrike warning was issued last night amid escalating clashes between Saudi Arabia and Iranian-backed Houthi militants.
Incident Details
Images released from the event show black smoke and flames near the airport. Residents in the area reported to news agencies that they heard explosions before the Civil Defense Organization of Saudi Arabia issued a safety order on Saturday morning. The flight tracking website FlightRadar24 rated the airport's status at level 5 on the disruption index, indicating a very high likelihood of flight delays or cancellations.
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Response from Saudi Officials
Saudi officials have not yet commented on the incident. The Ministry of Defense of Saudi Arabia and officials at Riyadh Airport did not immediately respond to media requests for comments. This was the first airstrike warning for the Saudi capital and was issued amid intensified attacks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi militia.
Over the past week, the Houthis have strengthened their control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait by seizing the port of Mocha and the island of Meyyun, known as Perim. Additionally, Yemeni and Houthi officials announced on Monday that they had captured the large and small Hanish islands, although these claims have not yet been independently verified. This strait, which is about 30 kilometers wide, accounts for approximately 8.7 percent of global maritime trade.
Possible Consequences
Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, contacted Donald Trump, the President of the United States, twice last week to request U.S. strikes on Houthi targets, but Washington has so far refrained from direct military intervention. This situation clearly reflects the escalating tensions in the region and its impact on flight safety and maritime trade.
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