Saudi civil defense issued aerial-attack alerts for Riyadh and Al-Kharj early Saturday, and Reuters later reported smoke and flames near King Khalid International Airport. The scare comes as Iran-backed Houthi forces press an offensive near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Pakistan urges Tehran to keep energy supplies and shipping lanes open, with Brent crude up 72% since the start of 2026.
Saudi Arabia's civil defense agency issued early-warning alerts for Riyadh and Al-Kharj early Saturday after Reuters reported two booms in the capital. The agency then gave the all-clear, but it subsequently reported a large plume of smoke and flames visible near King Khalid International Airport. Saudi authorities had not confirmed a cause and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Houthi advance threatens a key oil route
The alerts follow weeks of escalation by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia and launched a ground offensive around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, seizing Mokha and nearby islands. The strait sits at a strategically vital oil choke point, and Saudi Arabia has tried to reroute exports away from it through its East-West pipeline to the Red Sea. However, a drone attack that Saudi Arabia said originated in Iraq damaged the pipeline on Sept. 11, forcing a shutdown.
Pakistan presses Iran on energy and shipping
Separately, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Pakistan's foreign ministry said Dar stressed the importance of uninterrupted energy supplies and safe, expeditious ship passage, citing the implications for developing countries and global supply chains. The two diplomats agreed to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei also said consultations with Qatari and Pakistani mediators continue and that Tehran has communicated its negotiating conditions to Washington. President Trump said Wednesday the country is hopefully approaching the end of its nearly seven-month war with Iran.
Oil holds near multi-month highs
Brent crude, the international benchmark, is up 72% since the start of 2026 as the war has choked off energy supplies flowing through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.
Even so, crude prices fell for a third straight session Friday, finishing the week basically flat as the market judged the East-West pipeline closure would not hit supplies as hard as first feared. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures fell 1.6% to close at $100.30 a barrel, while Brent traded 0.9% lower, settling at $103.87.
Source: CNBC
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