Saudi Arabia sends skyscraper employees home amid Houthi threats

The Kingdom Center skyscraper in Riyadh has instructed its employees to work from home due to potential attacks by Houthi rebels from Yemen. The 99-story building, one of Saudi Arabia's tallest, has mandated remote work with no specified reason. This directive is effective immediately and remains in effect until further notice, according to the building's management, as reported by AFP.

Notable tenants include financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund and wealth management company Merrill Lynch. A shopping center adjacent to the tower will continue to operate as usual. Educational institutions within Riyadh and its surrounding areas have shifted to online classes for the second consecutive week.

Meanwhile, King Khalid International Airport, located near the building, remains closed due to a Houthi attack that claimed 13 lives. The Saudi-led coalition and Iran-backed Houthis continue to engage in escalating conflict, with the coalition recently reporting its first military fatalities since the escalation began. Two Saudi helicopter pilots lost their lives in an accident near the Yemen border, while the Houthis claimed to have shot down an Apache helicopter belonging to the Saudi forces.

Overnight, two drones were intercepted near Riyadh, with a third being shot down over Saudi Arabia's oil-rich Eastern Province. Additionally, two ballistic missiles were intercepted in the country's southern region. The ongoing conflict between the two sides, which has been ongoing for over a decade, intensified after the Houthis seized strategic territory along the Red Sea coast last month.

The Houthis have attacked oil facilities, tankers, and Riyadh's international airport, while the coalition has retaliated with strikes on Houthi-controlled areas.