Saudi Arabia Stopped Public Warnings Days Before Riyadh Airport Attacks

Saudi Arabia halted public warnings of incoming attacks days before four strikes on Riyadh airport killed at least 18 people and injured more than 300.

The government has offered no explanation for the silence during the attacks over the past week.

Civil defense resumed threat warnings on Monday, its first since September 29, covering Riyadh and southern cities.

Reuters could not establish whether the airport strikes prompted that decision. Neither the government media office nor civil defense responded to questions about the missing warnings.

Officials Cite Disruption Complaints

Saudi Arabia introduced its national attack-warning system in May, sending notifications to mobile phones and publishing alerts on social media.

The last warning before the airport attacks concerned the southern province of Najran on September 29.

As Houthi attacks intensified, public threat alerts stopped. Weather warnings continued, including notices about rain and flooding issued on Monday.

Before the airport strikes, representatives of an allied Western government questioned Saudi authorities about the interruption, according to two officials with direct knowledge of those exchanges.

Saudi authorities told them the warnings caused excessive disruption and that citizens had complained about being awakened at night, the officials said.

Saudi officials and the government media office did not respond to requests for comment on that account.

Four Western and Arab officials in the region, along with political analysts, told Reuters that the lack of warnings raised concerns about the kingdom’s exposure to attacks and its ability to protect residents and visitors.

They also linked the approach to efforts to preserve an appearance of stability during Saudi Arabia’s war with Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis.

Former U.S. ambassador Michael Ratney said the messaging had deepened the unease authorities were trying to contain.

“But the lack of alerts of incoming Houthi attacks creates the very nervousness they are trying to avoid.”

Embassies Sent Separate Warnings

Riyadh has faced roughly a dozen attacks this month, according to two Western officials. Until Monday, none had been accompanied by public Saudi threat alerts.

Western embassies nevertheless circulated internal missile and drone warnings to employees, three people familiar with the arrangements told Reuters.

One person said the warnings drew on intelligence from the U.S. and other Western governments, supplemented by information from Saudi authorities.

Embassy staff received alerts around the first two airport strikes last week.

However, even those internal channels provided no warning before Saturday’s attack, the deadliest in the series, the people said.

Reuters could not establish why that warning was missing.

Footage broadcast by Saudi state television on Sunday showed passengers queuing to board and others seated in the terminal looking at their phones before an orange flash marked a missile explosion.

Air Defense and Public Messaging

Saudi analyst Ali Shihabi, who is close to the government, said the kingdom’s geographic scale and extensive infrastructure made comprehensive protection difficult.

Airports, pipelines and oil installations compete for limited missile batteries and interceptors.

“Saudi Arabia has an unlimited need for air defenses,” he said.

Elsewhere in the Gulf, governments have taken different approaches.

Qatar has sent mobile warnings ahead of almost every attack, while Bahrain and Kuwait have repeatedly used sirens to direct residents to shelter.

Saudi authorities have also instructed residents not to circulate images, rumors, or details about interceptions and strike locations under regulations introduced in March.

Reuters could not determine whether anyone had been prosecuted for doing so.

Despite the airport attacks, Riyadh hosted the World Petroleum Council Energy Congress on Monday, although major oil executives withdrew.

Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman sought to reassure attendees while acknowledging the continuing threat.

“Our gathering here does not mean the risk is gone.”