Saudi Arabia’s capital faces mounting disruption as the closure of Riyadh’s airport, the cancellation of major events, and a shift to remote work affect daily life and business, dealing another setback to the kingdom’s efforts to attract international investment amid the escalating war against Yemen.

The disruption follows intensified Yemeni military operations targeting strategic infrastructure in the kingdom, including airports and energy facilities, in response to the Saudi bombing of the Sana’a airport in July and as the confrontation escalates after years of Saudi-led military aggression and blockade against Yemen.

The closure of Riyadh’s airport until further notice has disrupted air travel, forcing airlines and passengers to seek alternative routes through other Saudi cities and neighboring Persian Gulf countries.

Regional airline sources said Saudi authorities had not provided a definitive timeline for reopening the airport.

The disruption has extended beyond transportation, affecting government offices, international businesses and major cultural and sporting events.

Government agencies in Riyadh have instructed employees to work remotely, while offices in the 99-storey Kingdom Centre skyscraper have also shifted to remote work arrangements, according to sources cited by AFP.

Several high-profile events have been postponed or canceled, including a major tennis tournament, MDLBEAST Soundstorm music festival, Riyadh Fashion Week and the Red Sea Film Festival.

Saudi Arabia’s flagship investment forum, the Future Investment Initiative (FII), widely known as “Davos in the Desert,” has also been postponed until 2027.

The decision deals another setback to Riyadh’s efforts to attract international investors and establish itself as a regional business and financial hub.

For nearly a decade, the forum has served as a platform for Saudi officials to promote economic diversification and reduce the kingdom’s dependence on oil revenues.

The latest disruptions have raised fresh questions about the challenges facing those ambitions amid escalating regional hostilities.

The airport closure has also complicated travel for Riyadh’s approximately seven million residents.

Domestic airlines have sought to redirect passengers through Qassim, about three hours from the capital, while some travelers have used airports in Bahrain and Qatar to enter or leave the kingdom.

One Riyadh resident told AFP that a flight had been diverted to Jeddah during an attack on the airport, before the passenger continued the journey through Qassim.

Yemen dismisses Saudi outrage over airport attacks, citing 274,302 attacks on Yemen in 12 years

Yemeni armed forces have dismissed the Saudi coalition’s announcement on airport attacks, saying Riyadh and its allies carried out 274,302 airstrikes against Yemen over 12 years.

Last week, Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Maliki claimed that the attacks on Saudi airports threatened regional security and called on Yemeni forces to halt them immediately.

Yemeni military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree condemned the coalition’s record of military attacks against Yemen, saying the “criminal Saudi enemy” had repeatedly carried out the same kinds of attacks it was now recounting.

More than 2,350 airstrikes and missile attacks had been launched against Yemen since the resumption of Saudi aggression and the latest escalation, Saree added.

“Whoever aggresses against our country should not expect us to salute them,” the spokesperson said, stressing that Yemen would not remain passive in the face of continued attacks.

The Yemeni armed forces' counteroffensive came after more than a decade of Saudi-led war and blockade against Yemen, which began in 2015 when Riyadh intervened militarily to restore the former regime in the country.

The war has killed hundreds of thousands of Yemenis, while Riyadh has failed to achieve its stated objective of reinstating the government it backed in Sana’a.

Saudi Arabia has sharply escalated its aggression in recent weeks, with Yemeni officials reporting hundreds of airstrikes across the country.

Yemeni armed forces have responded with major operations along the Red Sea coast, driving Saudi-backed forces from strategic positions.

The Yemeni forces have also seized strategic areas and islands around Bab al-Mandeb, significantly strengthening their position at one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.