News about Saudi Arabia

The management of the 99-storey Kingdom Centre in Riyadh has told all office staff to work remotely until further notice, without giving a specific reason. The move came a week after an attack on Riyadh's international airport that killed 13 people, amid escalating Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia. The same day, the Saudi-led coalition said two pilots died when a helicopter suffered a technical failure near the Yemen border, while the Houthis claimed they shot down an Apache, with no independent evidence published. The Yemen conflict has flared again after about four years of truce, with the Houthis seizing positions along the Red Sea and declaring a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia.

The article argues that Saudi Arabia's security is a strategic concern for the global economy, as attacks on airports and oil refineries threaten energy supplies worldwide. On October 10, a Houthi missile reportedly struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, killing 13 people and injuring more than 300. With the Strait of Hormuz disrupted during the Iran war, the East-West Pipeline became a key alternative route, carrying about 4 million barrels per day before drone attacks forced its temporary closure in September. The piece says geopolitical risk pushed Brent above $100 per barrel, burdening consumers and airlines, and it cites Greece's Patriot deployment as a model for partner contributions, calling for a broader, shared defense effort.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has requested an urgent parliament session to authorise military support for Saudi Arabia if the kingdom asks for it, and a vote that had been expected on Sunday was set to continue into Monday. The Houthis have recently attacked Riyadh's international airport and Saudi Aramco amid renewed fighting with Saudi-backed government forces after a truce collapsed. The Egyptian presidency said Egypt would provide all necessary support to defend Saudi security, resources, territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites, following a National Defence Council meeting. Sisi said Egypt would act on guidance from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who visited him on Sept 15 after fighting in Yemen reignited. Egypt has close strategic and economic ties with Riyadh and joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in 2015, though with a limited combat role.

Egypt said on Sunday, October 18, that it is ready to give Saudi Arabia all necessary support to defend its security and stability, as Iran-aligned Houthis step up attacks on the world’s largest oil exporter. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi asked for an urgent parliament session to authorise the military to help defend Saudi Arabia should the kingdom request it, though the vote was expected to continue on Monday. The Houthis have recently attacked Riyadh’s international airport and Saudi Aramco, amid renewed fighting with Saudi-backed government forces after a truce collapsed. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are close strategic and economic partners, and Egypt joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in 2015 but played only a limited combat role.

Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) Governor Ayman bin Mohammed Al-Sayari said the Saudi economy remains resilient amid ongoing Middle East conflict, supported by sound policy frameworks, substantial financial reserves and rapid, coordinated institutional response capacity. He said the banking system has strong capital and liquidity levels, backed by proactive prudential policies. Speaking to the International Monetary and Financial Committee at the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Thailand, he noted that the global economy has shown better-than-expected resilience, though geopolitical conflicts, high uncertainty and debt, and limited policy room persist, and medium-term growth remains weak. He stressed price stability, rebuilding fiscal buffers, maintaining effective investment and targeting support to the neediest households, and welcomed the one-year extension of Saudi Arabia’s chairmanship of the committee. He also highlighted Vision 2030’s role in diversifying the non-oil economy, expanding private-sector participation and developing human capital and infrastructure.

Egypt's presidency said it will give Saudi Arabia all necessary support to defend its security, stability, resources and Islamic holy sites as Iran-aligned Houthis step up attacks on the world's largest oil exporter. President Sisi requested an urgent parliament session to authorise military help should Riyadh ask, and a Sunday vote was expected to continue into Monday. The Houthis recently attacked Riyadh's international airport and Saudi Aramco after a truce collapsed and fighting with Saudi-backed government forces resumed. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are close strategic and economic partners, and Egypt previously played a limited combat role in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

Egypt's presidency said it is ready to provide Saudi Arabia with all necessary support to defend its security, stability, resources, territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites, as Iran-aligned Houthis intensify attacks on the world's largest oil exporter. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi asked for an urgent parliamentary session to authorise military support should Saudi Arabia request it, and the expected Sunday vote was set to continue on Monday. The Houthis recently struck Riyadh's international airport and Saudi Aramco amid renewed fighting after a truce collapsed. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are close strategic and economic partners, and Egypt had previously joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen with a limited combat role.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi requested an urgent parliamentary session to authorise the military to help defend Saudi Arabia if Riyadh asks, and the presidency said Egypt will provide all necessary support to protect the kingdom's security, resources and holy sites. The move follows Houthi attacks on Riyadh's international airport and Saudi Aramco after a truce collapsed, with fighting renewed against Saudi-backed government forces in Yemen. Sisi said Egypt would act on guidance from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who visited him on September 15. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are close strategic and economic partners, and Egypt had joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in 2015 but played a limited combat role.

Egypt's presidency said on Sunday that Egypt will give Saudi Arabia all necessary support to defend its security, stability, resources, territorial integrity and holy sites. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi requested an urgent parliamentary session to authorise military help if the kingdom asks for it. The move follows Houthi attacks on Riyadh's airport and Saudi Aramco as fighting in Yemen resumed after a truce collapsed. Sisi said Egypt would act on guidance from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who visited him on September 15. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are close strategic and economic partners, and Egypt previously joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in 2015 but played a limited combat role.

Senior Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei warned that Tehran has prepared a new response plan, “far more devastating” than the 12-day and 40-day wars, for any renewed U.S.-Israeli attack. President Trump told Newsmax he does not intend to use nuclear weapons against Iran or deploy ground troops. Several commercial vessels around the Arabian Peninsula were attacked, including a tug hit by two unknown projectiles near the UAE on Sunday and a tanker struck by an RPG on Friday. Oil prices surged, with Brent settling at $109.86 per barrel (up 3.7%) and WTI rising 3.5% to $101.41. Saudi Arabia intercepted several missiles, including one aimed at the Yanbu oil export terminal, and Aramco's administrative building in Dhahran was hit earlier this week.

European allies of Saudi Arabia are struggling to supply additional air defense systems because they need them for their own defense, according to The National, citing military analysts. Saudi Arabia is pressing for more equipment to counter Houthi attacks in Yemen, but the UK and France reportedly cannot transfer systems without weakening their defenses in the Baltic states, and many Western stockpiles have run low due to commitments to Eastern Europe and Ukraine. A Houthi missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and injured 309, and the airport has been targeted at least four times. As a result, the planned summit between GCC states and the European Union has been postponed.