Saudi landmark closes offices, chopper pilots killed near Yemen

RIYADH, October 18 — The Kingdom Centre skyscraper in Riyadh has mandated remote working for all office tenants following a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The 99-storey landmark announced the directive, which remains in effect until further notice. No specific reason was provided for the order, but it follows a Houthi attack that killed 13 people at Riyadh's international airport a week prior.

The Saudi-led coalition, engaged in a decade-long war against Iran-backed Houthis, reported two helicopter pilots were killed in a crash near the Yemen border, attributing the incident to a "technical malfunction". The pilots' victims are said to be officers from the Ministry of National Guard. Meanwhile, the Houthis claimed they had shot down an Apache helicopter belonging to the Saudi army in the same region.

Egypt may extend its support to protect Saudi Arabia amid an uneasy four-year truce, with the conflict intensifying following recent Houthis seizing strategic territory along the Red Sea coast. The Saudi coalition has responded with air raids targeting Houthi targets, intercepting drones and missiles in the process.