Explosions heard in Saudi Arabia and black smoke billows over Riyadh airport as Houthi rebels escalate attacks

A HUGE black column of smoke and enormous flames has been seen near Riyadh’s international airport as the Iran-backed Houthis ramp up their attacks. Explosions were heard after air raid alerts rang out in the Saudi Arabian capital after the rebels launched several missile-and-drone attacks in recent weeks. A large plume of black smoke rises from the fuel storage area at King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Credit: Reuters Explosions were heard after air raid alerts rang out in the Saudi Arabian capital Credit: Reuters It comes after Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched several missile-and-drone attacks Credit: Reuters Reports suggested a fuel tank was on fire near the airport. Credit: Shutterstock Editorial The Saudi government warned of a “hostile aerial threat” but refused to confirm any attacks. Residents said they heard another round of explosions echoing through Riyadh hours after the alert. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! And huge delays and cancellations were reported at the Saudi capital’s travel hub, Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. It was the first time residents had been urged to stay indoors since the conflict in neighbouring Yemen with Iran-backed Houthis escalated. No casualties or damage were reported by the Saudi government. Reports suggested a fuel tank was on fire near the airport. One said firefighters could be seen battling a blaze in a burnt-out fuel tank that belonged to state oil and gas company Aramco. A resident told AFP: “In the direction of the airport we saw black smoke and fire.” Most read in The Sun A resident told AFP: ‘In the direction of the airport we saw black smoke and fire’ Credit: Reuters Huge delays and cancellations were reported Riyadh King Khalid International Airport Credit: Reuters Houthi rebels claimed on Friday they had thwarted an attack by Saudis on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. The group recently grabbed control of the strategic port city of Mokha and Perim Island. Controlling these key strongholds allows them to threaten the Bab al-Mandab strait, a global trade choke point at the mouth of the Red Sea which acts as a gateway to the Suez canal. One of the Arab Kingdom’s most critical oil pipelines has been forced to shut down for weeks following an attack by an Iranian proxy. And the Houthis were accused of launching a drone towards Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca this week. Riyadh warned the Iranian-backed terror group’s alleged attack – the latest in a series of tit-for-tat strikes – was a “red line”. The Houthis denied firing drones toward Mecca. Saudi authorities said they intercepted and destroyed the drone before it entered the area’s airspace. The Saudi-led Coalition Forces said: “This hostile attempt will also remain a black mark in the record of violations by the extremist terrorist Houthi militia, as a deliberate act intended to provoke the feelings of millions of Muslims.” They vowed to take any “necessary and deterrent measures” against the Iranian proxy. Comment now