Schools across the Saudi capital will operate remotely for a full week, according to emails sent to parents on Sunday, as Yemen’s Houthi movement intensifies attacks on the kingdom.
The messages, seen by news agencies, stated that Saudi authorities had ordered schools to remain closed for the entire week, without specifying a reason for the measure. The decision caught many residents off guard.
“It’s a last-minute decision. We have no idea what’s going on,” a Lebanese expatriate living in Riyadh told reporters.
Renewed Hostilities After Years of Calm
The pro-Iranian Houthi fighters launched fresh attacks against Saudi Arabia on Saturday, targeting both Riyadh and Khamis Mushait, a southwestern city that hosts a major air base. Saudi armed forces said they intercepted drones and ballistic missiles fired from Yemen.
After several years of relative calm, Yemen plunged back into war in July, opening a new front in the broader Middle East conflict. The hostilities pit the Houthis — who control the capital Sanaa and Yemen’s Red Sea coastline — against the internationally recognized government exiled in Aden, which holds much of the south and east and is backed by a Saudi-led military coalition.
Region on Edge
The school closures underscore the mounting security concerns in the Saudi capital as cross-border attacks resume. The conflict has drawn in regional and international powers, with diplomatic efforts to restore calm so far failing to halt the violence.
- Houthi forces targeted Riyadh and Khamis Mushait on Saturday
- Saudi air defenses intercepted drones and ballistic missiles
- Schools in the capital to remain closed for one week
- Yemen re-entered full-scale war in July after years of calm
Authorities have not indicated whether the remote learning order could be extended beyond the initial seven-day period.
