A plume of smoke and flames rose near Riyadh's main international airport on Saturday, accompanied by loud booms that rattled parts of the capital. An Aramco fuel tank near the airport was reportedly on fire, and local flights were disrupted.
Saudi authorities and Civil Defense issued emergency air-raid alerts overnight, warning residents of potential danger and advising them to remain indoors and away from windows. These alerts marked the first for the capital since the escalation began with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels in July, and the first since the height of the US-Iran war in March and April.
The incident occurred as the kingdom has been targeted by Yemen's Houthi rebels and drones from Iraq. While the cause of the blasts was not immediately clear, the Saudi civil defence stated that the danger had lifted soon after.