Fires rage after drones reportedly target Riyadh airport: Images
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A reported drone attack targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, with fires near fuel tanks and continued flight cancellations and delays.
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Smoke rises after drones reportedly target Riyadh airport, September 19, 2026 (Social media)
A reported drone attack targeted sensitive facilities at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with fires and heavy smoke observed near the airport.
Video and satellite imagery reportedly showed a fire near the northern section of the airport. NASA imagery also indicated the presence of a fire in the vicinity of the airport.
استهداف خزانات الوقود في العاصمة السعودية! حريق في مطار الملك خالد الدولي بالرياض!
— مصدر مسؤول (@fouadkhreiss) September 19, 2026
وكالة ناسا تُظهر حريقًا بالقرب من الجانب الشمالي للمطار https://t.co/TA971E0ndg pic.twitter.com/xozRObN4JN
Following the reported drone strikes, thick plumes of smoke were seen rising from the airport. Reuters, citing a witness, reported that flames and a large column of black smoke could be seen near the facility.
The reported strikes targeted a cargo building and two fuel storage tanks, according to the available reports.
هجوم جديد يطال مواقع حساسة داخل مطار الملك خالد الدولي في العاصم السعودية الرياض.
— مصدر مسؤول (@fouadkhreiss) September 19, 2026
تصاعد أعمدة الدخان من مطار الملك خالد في الرياض عقب إصابة مباشرة بطائرات مُسيّرة.
رويترز نقلا عن شاهد: رؤية ألسنة لهب وعمود كبير من الدخان الأسود يتصاعد بالقرب من مطار الرياض pic.twitter.com/BALbLwjZJl
The incident also caused continued disruption to air traffic at Riyadh airport, with flights reportedly canceled or delayed.
The latest escalation was initiated by Saudi Arabia when it bombed Sanaa International Airport, while continuing the years-long siege imposed on Yemen. Sanaa had repeatedly demanded an end to the blockade and the reopening of the airport before launching its current counteroffensive.
المزيد.. https://t.co/gWGS0nTBHu pic.twitter.com/dRNuoOMLf3
— Ali A.bk (@AB3_Ali3) September 19, 2026
Riyadh issues first air raid alert
Yesterday, Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh issued its first air raid alert since its aggression resumed against neighboring Yemen, with AFP reporting explosions early Saturday.
The alert was issued shortly before 3:00 am local time, warning residents that the area was under a "hostile aerial threat" and urging them to remain indoors. AFP subsequently reported two explosions heard in the capital.
Saudi Arabia's civil defense agency lifted the alert around 30 minutes later. Saudi authorities have yet to identify the source of the reported threat or provide details on the explosions.
Footage circulated on social media showed a ballistic missile flying over the city and evading Saudi air defenses.
Read more: US supervising Saudi aggression on Yemen: Sayyed al-Houthi
