Yemen's Houthi movement claimed it carried out two military operations targeting “sensitive sites” in Saudi Arabia, including locations in the capital Riyadh and facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco in the port city of Yanbu.
Footage from the scene shows a massive column of black smoke rising above the area, framed in the foreground by the airport highway, main terminal building, and nearby facilities. At one point in the video, flames can be seen bursting from behind a row of fuel tanks.
HOUTHIS BOMB Saudi Arabia's Riyadh airport as THICK BLACK SMOKE billows from the site https://t.co/yWE1BQK2HX
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— RT (@RT_com) September 19, 2026
ALSO READ: Houthis Claim Missile, Drone Attacks On Riyadh, Saudi Aramco Facilities
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the attacks involved ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. He described the operations as retaliation for Saudi military actions in Yemen, including attacks in Sanaa. The group carried out "two successful military operations" in response to recent Saudi attacks, as per AFP.
The claims came after Saudi authorities issued an overnight warning of a potential aerial threat in Riyadh and nearby Al-Kharj. Residents reported hearing multiple explosions across the capital, while a large plume of black smoke and flames was seen near King Khalid International Airport.
Firefighters subsequently extinguished a blaze involving a fuel tank bearing the Saudi Aramco logo at a fuel depot near the airport, according to AFP. The incident occurred amid heightened security measures following the aerial warning.
Saudi Civil Defence later issued an all-clear. Reuters reported that a Saudi-led coalition said its air-defence systems had intercepted and destroyed a missile fired toward Riyadh.
The reported attacks also disrupted operations at King Khalid International Airport. Flight-tracking platform FlightRadar24 recorded significant delays and cancellations before air traffic gradually resumed.
The Houthis separately claimed that Aramco facilities in Yanbu were targeted. Reuters said the group's claims about the specific targets could not be independently verified.
The incidents come amid an escalation in fighting involving Saudi-backed forces and the Houthis in Yemen. The latest attacks represent a further expansion of the conflict's impact beyond Yemen, with the reported aerial threat affecting Saudi Arabia's capital and air-transport operations.
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While the Saudi authorities confirmed the security alert and subsequent all-clear, the available reports did not independently establish whether the fire near Riyadh airport was directly caused by a Houthi weapon.
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