Yemen14 September, 20263 min read
Houthis Trigger Air-Attack Alerts in Riyadh, Smoke Rises Near King Khalid International Airport
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Houthis launched missiles and drones toward Saudi cities, triggering air-attack alerts near Riyadh. Large plumes of smoke rose near King Khalid International Airport after explosions and alerts.
Riyadh alert after blasts
Saudi Arabia activated air-attack alerts in Riyadh early Saturday after explosions were recorded in the capital and smoke was detected near King Khalid International Airport, in an episode that heightened regional tension amid the resumption of fighting in Yemen. A Reuters video and photographs showed a large plume of black smoke near Riyadh’s main airport after booms were heard, and the BBC reported that FlightRadar24 recorded long delays and cancellations at King Khalid International Airport. The warnings were sent via the National Early Warning Platform, and residents received a message telling them to “remain calm,” stay inside buildings, and avoid windows and exposed areas before authorities later announced the danger had subsided.
The incident unfolded as the Houthis, described as Iran-backed in the sources, advanced across extensive areas of Yemen and announced the seizure of the entire Red Sea coast, giving them control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait. In the same context, the UN reported that renewed fighting in Yemen displaced more than 112,000 people and forced nearly 3,000 Yemenis to cross the sea to Djibouti, deepening a humanitarian crisis.
Warnings, districts, and claims
Al-Madan reported that Saudi Civil Defense issued a second warning less than three hours after its previous warning, and Reuters and AFP journalists said they heard at least two explosions in Riyadh after the alerts were issued. The BBC said the smoke and apparent explosions came hours after air raid alerts were issued in the Saudi capital, and it described the episode as the first time residents had been given an alert and urged to stay indoors since the escalation began with Iran-backed Houthi militants in neighbouring Yemen. In the hours before the Riyadh alerts, the Houthis’ military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had foiled what he described as “criminal attempts” in Sana’a and vowed to respond, while the Saudi government had not issued an immediate response to the accusations.
The UN Security Council statement on Friday condemned “continued Houthi attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” including attacks affecting civilian and energy infrastructure that resulted in the injury of civilians including women and children. Reuters also reported that the two blasts were heard in the al-‘Olaya district of the capital, while Saudi authorities had yet to disclose details about the nature of the air targets or any damages or injuries.
What’s at stake next
The sources linked the Riyadh episode to broader disruption around Bab al-Mandeb, with Al-Madan saying the developments disrupted navigation through the strait and describing data showing a decline in Saudi exports through the strait since July.
Agencia Noticias Argentinas added that Kpler reported Saudi crude shipments through the strait decreased since July amid rising risks to international sea trade, while the Houthis said navigation through the strait remains open except for Saudi-flagged vessels.
The escalation also fed into international scrutiny and arms and deterrence decisions, with Agencia Noticias Argentinas saying the U.S. State Department approved the sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets for USD 24.3 billion to Saudi Arabia.
In parallel, the UN Security Council statement condemned “Houthi military escalation in Yemen,” and the sources tied the renewed fighting to displacement of more than 112,000 people inside Yemen and nearly 3,000 fleeing by sea to Djibouti.
With the Riyadh alerts marking a direct projection of the Yemen conflict onto Saudi territory, the sources described heightened risk for civilians and for critical infrastructure like the capital’s airport, while Saudi civil defence lifted the warning about half an hour later.