Reuters reports flames and smoke at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, with aircraft unable to land. The cause is not specified in the initial report.
Reuters confirmed Saturday afternoon that flames and thick smoke are rising from Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, with flights unable to land or take off. The international wire service's report, which does not specify a cause, comes hours after The Zioneer and other outlets had already documented the disruption following Houthi missile strikes.
The sequence of events as The Zioneer reported: At 07:50 Jerusalem, explosions were reported at the airport attributed to Houthi missiles. By 13:41 Jerusalem, multiple updates had been published — a drone strike, heavy smoke visible in footage, a confirmed direct hit by Houthi missiles, and damage to runways L15 and R15 as well as fuel tanks belonging to Safari company. The initial reports, based on Shiite-affiliated channels, were corroborated by Israeli journalist Asaf Rozentsweig citing N12 footage, and later by The Zioneer's own confirmation. The reporting evolved from a single unverified report to multiple independent sources, with the Iran-backed terror group claiming responsibility.
The Houthi terror group, backed by Iran, has been intensifying its missile and drone campaign against Saudi Arabia. As The Zioneer reported earlier Saturday, the strike on the capital's main airport marks a significant escalation in the proxy's campaign.
It remains unclear whether the ongoing flames and smoke stem from a fresh strike or from lingering fire from the earlier hits. No official Saudi statement has been released, and casualty figures remain unknown.
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