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Smoke, flames seen near Riyadh airport, ‘major’ flight disruptions reported

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: France 24
Smoke, flames seen near Riyadh airport, ‘major’ flight disruptions reportedWorldPing
Image via France 24.

What happened

A plume of smoke and flames rose near Riyadh's main international airport on Saturday and residents reported hearing loud booms hours after Saudi authorities issued the first alert for the country's capital since the latest escalation with Yemen's Ir…

Key facts

  • A plume of smoke and flames rose near Riyadh's main international airport on Saturday and residents reported hearing loud booms hours after Saudi authorities issued the first alert for the country's capital since the latest escalation with Yemen's Ir…
  • Reported by France 24 and published Sat, 19 Sep 2026 12:53:19 UTC.

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What to watch next

  • Official statements or denials from the governments named
  • Whether other major newsrooms confirm the same details
  • Any follow-up decision, vote or deadline tied to the event

Coverage timeline

When each newsroom published on this story, oldest first — all times UTC.

  1. Watch: Images show damage to plane after power bank bursts into flames during flight

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  3. Smoke, flames seen near Riyadh airport, ‘major’ flight disruptions reported

  4. ‘Major problems’ at Riyadh airport, with flights cancelled, delayed: Flightradar24

  5. Flames reported near Saudi capital airport as Pakistan presses Iran over energy supplies

  6. Black smoke seen near Riyadh amid air raid alerts in Saudi Arabia

  7. Cuba works to restore power after another major nationwide blackout

Sources

The original report was published by France 24. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at France 24

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Black smoke seen near Riyadh amid air raid alerts in Saudi ArabiaWorldPing
France 24

Black smoke seen near Riyadh amid air raid alerts in Saudi Arabia

⁠Flames and plumes of smoke ‌were ⁠seen ‌rising near ⁠Riyadh airport this afternoon with flights cancelled and delayed. This as fighting between Saudi-backed government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels has killed 48 people in recent hours.

Brief by WorldPing · Original reporting by France 24