Saudi Oil Depot Fire Disrupts Riyadh Flights; Global News Roundup

A fire erupted at a Saudi Aramco oil depot near Riyadh's airport on Saturday, causing significant flight disruptions and marking the first such attack on the Saudi capital during the current escalation with Yemen's Houthi rebels. Residents reported smoke billowing near the airport, and flight tracking service FlightRadar24 noted long delays and cancellations at King Khalid International Airport. Sources told AFP that firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze in a fuel tank bearing the Saudi oil company's logo. Two explosions were heard in Riyadh earlier that day, following a civil defense warning of an "enemy aerial attack," the first to target the capital since the current escalation with the Houthis began.

In Syria, the Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday that 11 people were killed in an explosion at a military site in Deir Ezzor on Friday, stating the perpetrators were unknown. Syrian security forces also reported arresting a key figure involved in a cell responsible for the deaths of three members during an operation against ISIS in the south.

In international affairs, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a bill imposing new sanctions on Russia over its continued war in Ukraine, after over a year's delay. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated that Russia's response should include "military deterrence." Concurrently, the U.S. approved a potential $2.68 billion sale of air defense equipment to Ukraine. Denmark's Foreign Ministry announced that a "binding" agreement with Washington regarding Greenland "enhances security" in the Arctic region. North Korea rejected a resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency demanding a halt to its nuclear activities, calling it "ineffective" as Pyongyang is not a member. Luxembourg's airport experienced brief flight suspensions due to drone sightings, while reports indicated British military sites faced over 300 drone attacks in the past year amid rising tensions with Russia. Turkey revoked the license of Iran's Bank Melli, which has been under Western sanctions. The European Union expressed regret over Washington's refusal to grant visas to Palestinian officials for the UN General Assembly. China's Vice Premier Liu He is visiting the U.S. ahead of a summit between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping. U.S. media outlets condemned President Trump's decision to ban three news organizations from the White House, calling it an attack on press freedom. The U.S. Ambassador to the UN announced President Trump will meet Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Iran executed a man for allegedly leaking missile site information to Israeli intelligence during a war. In Pakistan, an attack on a police headquarters in the north resulted in at least 31 deaths, with clashes ongoing. Nigeria's government has tasked a committee to investigate the deaths of 37 people in a detention cell.