Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 12:26pm on 19 Sep 2026,Saturday International
Thick black smoke and flames were seen near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, causing major flight disruptions. Flight tracker Flightradar24 rated the airport 5.0, its highest disruption level, citing long delays and several cancellations. The incident followed an overnight air raid alert from Saudi civil defence. Residents in Riyadh and Al-Kharj were told to stay indoors because of a "hostile aerial threat." An all-clear was issued on Saturday morning. It was the first such alert since fighting in neighbouring Yemen intensified this month. Saudi authorities have not yet commented on the cause of the smoke. Passengers should check flight status with their airlines. (PC: HT)
