Yemeni strikes force Riyadh airport closure, disrupting travel and business as authorities order remote work and major events are postponed or canceled

The closure of Riyadh’s airport because of Yemeni strikes has severely disrupted air travel, daily life and business in the Saudi capital. Saudi authorities have mandated remote work for government agencies and major office towers.

Several high-profile events have been postponed or canceled, including the flagship Future Investment Initiative, known as “Davos in the Desert.” The disruption is described as a significant blow to the kingdom’s ambitions to attract international investment and diversify its oil-dependent economy.

Regional airline sources said Saudi authorities had provided no definitive timeline for reopening the airport. Residents and passengers have been seeking alternative routes through Qassim or neighboring countries, including Bahrain and Qatar.

The escalation follows intensified Yemeni military operations targeting strategic infrastructure, described as a response to Saudi Arabia’s bombing of Sana’a airport in July and years of military aggression and blockade. Yemeni military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree condemned coalition attacks and said more than 2,350 airstrikes and missile attacks had targeted Yemen since the latest escalation. He said Yemeni forces would not remain passive.

Last week, Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Maliki said the attacks threatened regional security and called on Yemeni forces to halt them immediately.