Riyadh: Videos circulating on social media showed smoke and flames rising near a Aramco facility in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh on Saturday, October 3. A Reuters witness also reported seeing smoke and fire near the site.
Satellite imagery appeared to show plumes of smoke over the Saudi capital. The cause of the incident could not be independently verified.
A separate claim that King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh had been closed to flights was not supported by available flight-tracking data.
There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities or Aramco about the cause of the fire or whether the facility itself had been affected
The reports came amid heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis, with the group having stepped up attacks and threats against Saudi targets in recent months.
On Thursday, October 1, the Saudi-led coalition accused the Houthis of targeting a power distribution station in Medina. Saudi forces were also reported to have carried out airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
The latest reports came amid a broader escalation around the Red Sea, where the Houthis have threatened Saudi interests and shipping routes.
Saudi Arabia and the Houthis had maintained a period of relative calm following a ceasefire that significantly reduced cross-border attacks. The recent escalation has raised renewed concerns over attacks on the Kingdom’s energy infrastructure and other strategic facilities.
