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Saudi Arabia did not issue public warnings before a series of attacks on Riyadh airport that killed 18 people and wounded more than 300. The lapse has raised questions over civilian safety, official communication and the kingdom's air defence coverage.
CCTV footage shows smoke and fire as people flee after the missile struck the Riyadh airport. (Photo: Reuters)
Saudi Arabia has been facing relentless attacks amid its war with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. At least 18 people were killed and more than 300 wounded in a series of attacks on Riyadh airport over the past week.
Saudi officials had previously issued public warnings of potential military attacks through its early warning system. But as a series of strikes hit its airport, the alerts stopped, leaving residents without public warnings of incoming threats. The Saudi government has not explained why it did not issue alerts before the attacks in the capital.
The alerts had previously offered residents a visible indication of the danger facing the country. They also made it harder for the government to maintain an image of calm at a time when Saudi Arabia is trying to reassure its citizens, foreign visitors and international business partners.
The absence of warnings has also drawn attention to the kingdom's ability to protect civilians, airports and other critical infrastructure as the conflict intensifies. Western and Arab officials in the region, along with political analysts, told news agency Reuters that the lack of alerts raised questions about Saudi Arabia's vulnerability and its handling of public communication during the war.
WHY DID SAUDI ARABIA STOP ISSUING ALERTS?
Saudi Arabia began sending threat warnings to mobile phones and social media accounts through a national early warning system in May. However, despite a rise in Houthi attacks leading up to last week's airport strikes, the system stopped issuing public alerts about military threats.
According to posts on the Saudi civil defence authority's account on X, the last warning before the latest attacks was issued on September 29 for the southern province of Najran.
The government has not explained the decision to stop the alerts. Saudi Civil Defence, the emergency management agency responsible for rescue operations, firefighting and early warnings under the Interior Ministry, did not commented on the matter.
Two officials with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters that officials from an allied Western government had asked Saudi authorities why the warnings had stopped before last week's airport attacks. The response, according to the officials, was that the alerts were disruptive and some citizens had complained about being woken up at night.
The decision has prompted questions about how the kingdom is balancing public safety with its efforts to prevent military threats from disrupting everyday life.
Sultan Alamer, a US-based Saudi academic and senior resident fellow at the Middle East Policy Council think tank, said the government appeared to be trying to maintain public confidence while conducting military operations.
"They (the Saudi government) want to have it both ways: to launch a military operation and at the same time try to give confidence to the population and external stakeholders," he told Reuters.
HOW OTHER GULF COUNTRIES WARN RESIDENTS
Saudi Arabia's approach differs from that of some of its neighbours, which have faced Iranian drone and missile attacks since the US-Iran war began in February. Qatar has used mobile phone alerts to warn residents before attacks, including during strikes in July. The messages have instructed people to remain indoors and stay away from windows.
Bahrain and Kuwait, meanwhile, have repeatedly sounded sirens to tell people to seek shelter.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's civil defence authority has continued issuing warnings about other dangers, including heavy rain and flooding. On Monday, it also cautioned residents against sharing photographs, rumours or information about missile interceptions and impact sites, citing government regulations introduced in March.
Former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney said Riyadh appeared to be struggling to balance its response to the Houthi threat with its desire to avoid widespread public alarm. He said the government's approach to public communication reflected the difficult position it faced as it sought to respond to attacks without allowing them to disrupt society.
"But the lack of alerts of incoming Houthi attacks creates the very nervousness they are trying to avoid," Ratney told Reuters. The concerns extend beyond public messaging to the kingdom's ability to defend its vast territory and critical infrastructure.
Ali Shihabi, a Saudi analyst close to the government, said protecting every potential target would be difficult given the country's size and the number of important facilities spread across it.
"In Saudi Arabia you have too much to protect. It's a huge country with airports, pipelines and oil facilities. There is just not enough coverage to defend everything at once, not enough Patriots (missile defence systems), interceptors and missile batteries to do it all," he said.
"Saudi Arabia has an unlimited need for air defences," he added.
STRIKES CLOUD SAUDI ECONOMIC PUSH
Despite the attacks, Saudi Arabia continued with its international engagements. Riyadh hosted the World Petroleum Council Energy Congress on Monday, although several major oil executives withdrew from the event.
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman struck a defiant tone, insisting that the kingdom would continue pursuing its economic ambitions despite the security risks. He thanked delegates who had travelled to Riyadh, saying they knew the country was safe, but acknowledged that the gathering did not mean the danger had disappeared.
"Our gathering here does not mean the risk is gone," he said. He added that Saudi Arabia would remain committed to its economic plans and long-term vision.
EMBASSIES ISSUED THEIR OWN WARNINGS
The absence of public alerts did not mean foreign officials were unaware of the risks. Western embassies in the kingdom continued sending internal missile and drone alerts to their staff, according to Reuters.
The alerts were based on intelligence shared by the US and other Western governments, along with information from Saudi authorities. Embassy staff received these warnings around the time of two of the first airport strikes last week.
However, the sources said the embassies had received no internal warning before Saturday's attack, the deadliest of the strikes.
Saudi state television later broadcast footage of the attack, showing passengers waiting inside the airport terminal. Travellers stood in queues to board flights, while others sat scrolling through their mobile phones.
Then came a bright orange flash as a missile exploded. The attacks killed at least 18 people and wounded more than 300.
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With inputs from agencies
