Employees at one of Riyadh’s best-known skyscrapers were told to work from home Sunday as a fresh wave of attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels heightened security concerns in the Saudi capital and fueled fears that the broader Middle East conflict could intensify.
The move came after the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two drones in the Riyadh area, a third over the Eastern Province and two ballistic missiles in southern Saudi Arabia overnight, after authorities had earlier issued a threat alert in the capital, also shared on X.
Kingdom Centre, the 99-story landmark that dominates Riyadh’s skyline, instructed office staff to remain remote until further notice, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The tower houses offices for prominent global organizations and companies, including Merrill Lynch, consulting firm McKinsey & Company and the International Monetary Fund.
Workers at one of Riyadh’s most recognizable skyscrapers were ordered to stay home as Houthi attacks increased tensions across the Saudi capital and raised concerns about a broader regional conflict. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“Please be advised that remote working arrangements are mandatory for all office employees at Kingdom Centre, effective immediately and until further notice,” building officials said in an email reviewed by AFP.
Staff were told not to return to their offices. The retail mall located at the base of the skyscraper continued operating and remained accessible to shoppers.
Building management did not give a specific explanation for the decision. The order came, however, as missile and drone strikes attributed to Yemen’s Houthi movement repeatedly unsettled Riyadh.
The latest precautions follow a deadly attack on King Khalid International Airport on Oct. 10, when 13 people were killed and more than 300 were injured.
A second strike the next day left one person dead and 11 others wounded, according to an earlier report by News Media.
The violence has caused major interruptions at the airport, while Riyadh schools have extended remote-learning arrangements as authorities continue to respond to security threats.
The Houthis also launched an attack against Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia. (AFPTV / AFP via Getty Images)
The escalating tensions coincided with news that two Saudi military personnel had died in a helicopter crash near the country’s southern frontier with Yemen.
Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, said an AH-6i reconnaissance helicopter went down in the Najran region because of a technical problem. Both crew members were killed.
Saudi civil defense officials said a separate hostile projectile struck a residential area in Najran on Sunday, injuring six people and damaging three houses and three vehicles.
As Saudi Arabia faces mounting pressure from the Houthi threat, Egypt has also moved closer to offering potential military assistance to the kingdom.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi asked parliament to convene an emergency session to consider authorizing defensive support for Saudi Arabia if Riyadh makes a formal request, Reuters reported.
Parliamentary discussions were expected to resume Monday.
A Houthi supporter watches a pro-Iran rally as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran continues in Sanaa, Yemen, on April 6, 2026. (Khaled Abdullah/Reuters)
Cairo’s presidency said Egypt stood ready to provide Saudi Arabia with the assistance needed to protect its security, stability, territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites.
The announcement came after a meeting of Egypt’s National Defense Council, led by el-Sissi and attended by senior civilian and military leaders.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty also spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan about regional developments and the importance of de-escalation, according to a post on X.
The potential involvement of Egypt, which has one of the Arab world’s largest militaries, could significantly expand the regional response to the Houthis.
The Iran-backed group now controls Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and much of the country’s north.
Fighting with the Saudi-led coalition, which supports Yemen’s internationally recognized government, has intensified amid the broader U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.