Saudi Arabia sends skyscraper employees home amid Houthi threats

Saudi Arabia has instructed employees at the Kingdom Center skyscraper in Riyadh to work from home due to potential threats from Houthi rebels in Yemen. The 99-story building, one of the tallest in the country, has mandated remote work with no specific reason provided. This directive is now in effect indefinitely. The tower houses significant financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund and Merrill Lynch.

Adjacent to the skyscraper, a shopping mall remains open. Schools in Riyadh and surrounding regions will continue their online classes for an additional week. King Khalid International Airport in the city has remained closed following a Houthi attack that resulted in 13 fatalities. The ongoing conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and the Iranian-backed Houthis has intensified, with the coalition reporting its first military casualties since the escalation began.

Two helicopter pilots were killed near the Yemen border due to a technical malfunction, while the Houthis claimed to have downed an Apache helicopter belonging to the Saudi forces. Saudi forces intercepted two drones near Riyadh overnight, and a third was shot down in the Eastern Province, an oil-rich region. Two ballistic missiles were also intercepted in the country's southern area.

The two nations have been clashing over the past decade, with tensions escalating after the Houthis took control of 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 launched strikes on Houthi areas.