Houthi Threat Forces Riyadh Schools Online Amid Escalating Attacks on Saudi Territory
Saudi Arabia has shifted schools in Riyadh to remote learning for a week due to concerns over attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. Parents across Riyadh received emails from schools informing them that in-person classes would be suspended for the entire week, with no reason given for the decision.
The move comes amid a sharp escalation in attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, including a series of drone and ballistic missile launches claimed to have been carried out by the Houthis. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said it had intercepted two ballistic missiles and two drones launched towards the kingdom, with one heading towards Khamis Mushait and the other towards Riyadh.
The attacks are part of a wider escalation that began in July, when renewed fighting shattered a years-long period of relative calm between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. The Houthis control Yemen's most heavily populated areas, including much of the north, and have increasingly taken the conflict beyond Yemen's borders, targeting Saudi territory as the wider Middle East war has expanded.
Saudi Arabia occupies a critical position in the global oil trade, and any sustained disruption to its territory or shipping routes could have consequences far beyond the kingdom. The Houthi campaign has included attacks on Saudi cities, energy infrastructure, and vessels in the Red Sea, with the group declaring a naval blockade against Riyadh in July.