What happened

Saudi civil defense sent overnight phone alerts warning of a "hostile aerial threat" and possible danger in Riyadh and nearby Al-Kharj after residents reported hearing explosions. A large plume of black smoke was subsequently seen rising from a fuel storage depot at King Khalid International Airport, and an all-clear was issued about 30 minutes after the initial alert. FlightRadar24 data showed major delays and several cancelled flights. Photos published by Al Jazeera and Reuters into the afternoon still showed a heavy black smoke column over the depot area and terminal forecourt, indicating an extended fire. Saudi Arabia later confirmed that its defenses intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile targeting Riyadh and said there were no reported casualties or damage from the attempted attack. The Houthis claimed they targeted sensitive sites in Riyadh, while also claiming fires at Aramco facilities in Yanbu; Saudi authorities said attempted attacks on Yanbu and several other locations were thwarted. None of those statements established that the intercepted missile, debris or another weapon struck the airport fuel depot or caused its fire. The visible fire is retained as unconfirmed pending an official cause or damage assessment.

When cited sources give different casualty, damage or spill figures for this event, they’re reported side by side above rather than merged into one number. See how confidence levels work.