Saudi Arabia stopped issuing public warnings of imminent attacks days before a series of strikes on Riyadh airport killed at least 18 people and injured more than 300, raising concerns about the kingdom’s ability to protect civilians amid its conflict with Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis.
The government has not explained why no public alerts were issued ahead of four attacks on the airport over the past week, according to a Reuters investigation.
The silence has prompted questions about Saudi Arabia’s security preparedness and its efforts to maintain a sense of normality as the country faces growing military threats.
Four Western and Arab officials in the region, alongside political analysts, told Reuters that the absence of warnings could leave residents and visitors uncertain about their safety.
Sultan Alamer, a Saudi academic based in the United States and senior resident fellow at the Middle East Policy Council, said the government appeared to be balancing its military response with efforts to reassure the public and international partners.
“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,” Alamer said.
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence, the emergency response agency under the Interior Ministry responsible for issuing early warnings, and the government media office did not respond to questions about the suspension of public alerts.
The Civil Defence authority resumed issuing warnings on Monday, its first such alerts since September 29, cautioning residents about potential threats in Riyadh and cities in the south. Reuters could not establish whether the decision was directly linked to the airport attacks.
Warning System Fell Silent Amid Rising Threats
Saudi Arabia introduced a national early warning system in May, using mobile phone notifications and social media to alert the public to potential attacks.
However, the system stopped issuing threat warnings despite a rise in Houthi attacks in the period leading up to last week’s strikes. The last alert before the airport attacks was posted on September 29, warning of a threat in the southern province of Najran, according to the Civil Defence account on X.
The agency continued to issue public safety notices on other matters, including heavy rain and flooding. It also reminded residents on Monday not to circulate images, rumours or information about intercepted missiles and drones or the locations where attacks had landed.
Such restrictions are covered by government regulations introduced in March. Reuters could not determine whether anyone had been prosecuted for sharing such material.
Two officials with direct knowledge of the matter said representatives of an allied Western government had asked Saudi authorities why the public alerts had stopped before last week’s airport attacks.
They were told that the notifications were disruptive and that many citizens had complained about being woken up at night, the officials said.
Saudi officials and the government media office did not respond to requests for comment on that account.
The kingdom’s approach differs from that of some other Gulf states, which have faced Iranian missile and drone attacks since the US-Iran war began in February.
Qatar has used mobile phone alerts ahead of nearly every attack, including warnings instructing residents to remain indoors and away from windows. Bahrain and Kuwait have also repeatedly sounded sirens urging people to seek shelter.
Former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney said Riyadh appeared to be trying to prevent public alarm and economic disruption while responding to attacks.
“Their approach to public messaging seems like a corollary to the quandary they are in: They need to respond to the Houthis but don’t want that to result in societal disruption and their public messaging is a reflection of that,” Ratney said.
“But the lack of alerts of incoming Houthi attacks creates the very nervousness they are trying to avoid.”
Saudi Arabia Faces Challenge Protecting Critical Infrastructure
Ali Shihabi, a Saudi analyst close to the government, said the country’s vast territory and extensive infrastructure made it difficult to defend every potential target simultaneously.
Saudi Arabia must protect airports, oil facilities and pipelines, among other strategic assets, placing considerable demands on its air defence capabilities.
“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,” Shihabi said.
“Saudi Arabia has an unlimited need for air defences,” he added.
Two Western officials told Reuters that Riyadh had come under attack about a dozen times during the period in which public threat alerts were not being issued.
Western embassies in Saudi Arabia continued to send internal missile and drone warnings to their staff during that time, according to three people familiar with the arrangements and alerts reviewed by Reuters.
The warnings drew on intelligence from the United States and other Western governments, as well as information from Saudi authorities, one source said.
Embassy staff received alerts around the time of two earlier airport strikes, the sources said. However, they said there was no internal warning ahead of Saturday’s attack, the deadliest of the week. Reuters could not establish why no warning was issued.
Riyadh Maintains Public Events Despite Attacks
Despite the security concerns, Saudi Arabia continued with major public and business engagements, including an international energy conference in Riyadh on Monday, although several prominent oil executives withdrew.
At the World Petroleum Council Energy Congress, Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, a brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, sought to reassure attendees that the kingdom remained committed to its economic ambitions.
He thanked participants for travelling to Riyadh, saying they knew the country was safe, but acknowledged that the gathering did not mean the danger had passed.
“Our gathering here does not mean the risk is gone,” he said.
He also reaffirmed the government’s determination to pursue its development plans despite the security challenges.
Saudi state television later broadcast footage of Saturday’s airport strike showing passengers waiting inside the terminal. Travellers were seen queuing to board a flight and sitting in waiting areas while looking at their mobile phones.
The attacks have placed the kingdom under pressure to demonstrate that it can protect residents, visitors and critical infrastructure while continuing its military campaign and economic activities.
The return of public warnings on Monday has not yet clarified why the alerts were suspended or whether the system will consistently notify residents of future threats.
Source: Reuters
