Fire Breaks Out in Fuel Tank Belonging to Aramco Near Riyadh Airport

Riyadh - Ofok News - King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, witnessed significant disruptions in flight operations today, Saturday, coinciding with a fire that broke out in a fuel tank belonging to "Aramco" near the airport, with flames and a thick column of black smoke rising in the area.

A reporter from the "France Presse" agency reported that he saw a fuel tank belonging to "Aramco" burning near King Khalid International Airport, while firefighters were seen trying to control the flames raging in the tank, which displayed the logo of the giant Saudi oil company.

Footage from the scene of the incident showed thick smoke rising around the airport, while residents reported seeing flames and a large column of black smoke near the site.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, and Saudi authorities have not yet issued a statement clarifying the circumstances of the incident or the reason that led to the ignition of the fuel tank.

Widespread disruptions in air traffic.

At the same time, the website "Flight Radar 24" reported significant "issues" at King Khalid International Airport, including flight cancellations and delays.

The site rated the airport at a level of 5.0 on its disruption index, the highest level on the index, indicating "major problems with long delays and the cancellation of many flights."

Detailed data on the number of flights that were canceled or delayed, or the duration of the disruptions, was not immediately available, while firefighting teams continued to try to control the fire near the fuel storage facility.

The disruption in air traffic comes after a security warning of an aerial attack during the night, issued by Saudi authorities, at a time when the region is experiencing escalating tensions due to military developments in Yemen.

Security warnings follow threats from the Houthis.

The fire and disturbances came after the Houthi group accused Saudi Arabia of sending drones towards the capital, Sana'a, with the group threatening to respond to what it described as attacks.

Following the Houthis' statement, Saudi authorities issued warnings late Friday night about attacks in several areas located in the southern part of the kingdom.

The nighttime alert is, according to available information, the first of its kind since the escalation of fighting in the neighboring Yemen during September.

Saudi authorities have not officially linked the fire that broke out in the fuel tank near King Khalid Airport to the security warnings or threats issued by the Houthis, nor have they yet identified the cause of the fire.

These developments come at a time when the circumstances of the incident and the extent of the damage caused by it are still unclear, while the fire has disrupted flight operations at Riyadh Airport, with several flights continuing to be canceled or delayed.