Riyadh Airport Attacked: Fire, Thick Smoke and Flights Suspended

An attack, believed to have originated from Yemeni territory, struck the Saudi capital Riyadh this morning. Eyewitnesses reported explosions, thick smoke and a fire near the international airport. According to the regional Telegram channel Naya, a logistics company building next to the DHL office on airport grounds was completely destroyed, and a fuel depot belonging to the Saudi oil company Aramco was reportedly also hit.

Riyadh authorities issued an air threat warning across the city early in the morning. According to AFP, explosions were heard over the capital in the early hours. This marks the first time since the renewed outbreak of Yemen's protracted civil war that the threat has reached directly into the Saudi capital. Riyadh residents received a message warning that "the area is under a hostile aerial threat" and were advised to stay indoors.

Flights suspended, fuel tanks damaged

According to some reports circulating on social media, the attack targeted two Aramco fuel tanks north of the airport as well as a cargo terminal. Runways 15L and 15R at Riyadh's international airport are reportedly out of service, and flights have been suspended.

Renewed war in Yemen

Yemen's Houthi rebels launched a rapid offensive this month, seizing significant swaths of the country. In recent weeks, the rebels have also repeatedly claimed strikes on Saudi Arabia and the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's internationally recognized government, launched from territories under Houthi control.

The Iran-backed Houthis control northwestern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and most of Yemen's Red Sea coastline. They seized the capital at the turn of 2014–2015, driving out the internationally recognized government, and then fought against government forces backed by the Riyadh-led military coalition until a truce was reached in 2022. However, as AP notes, the new Houthi offensive has once again plunged Yemen into civil war.

Source: novinky.cz