Houthi drone strike ignites Aramco fuel depot fire at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport

A Houthi drone attack hit an Aramco fuel storage tank near Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, sending a large plume of black smoke over the Saudi capital after residents reported hearing loud explosions following an overnight alert. FlightRadar24 listed the airport at its maximum disruption level of 5.0, citing long delays and multiple flight cancellations. The Houthis separately claimed drone attacks on Najran Airport and another Aramco facility in southern Saudi Arabia.

Why this matters. It is the first Houthi strike to visibly hit Riyadh itself since fighting with the group intensified in July, signaling the Houthis can now reach Saudi Arabia's capital and its main international airport rather than only border regions.