Riyadh schools switch to online learning for a week after repeated Houthi attacks

Saudi authorities have ordered schools in Riyadh to close their physical campuses and switch to distance learning for a week, TBS News reports. Parents received last-minute email notices with no official explanation for the sudden shift to online classes — learning will continue through the Madrasati education platform from Sunday, September 27, to Thursday, October 1, covering students, teachers and administrative staff.

The move comes amid heightened regional security tensions and repeated attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iranian-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen. Just a day before the announcement, the Saudi-led coalition forces intercepted drones and ballistic missiles launched toward the kingdom, including areas near the capital, Riyadh — while Saudi civil defense had issued security alerts for the cities of Khamis Mushait and Abha.

Since July, when the Houthis declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, attacks on Saudi cities, energy infrastructure and vessels have intensified sharply, breaking a years-long ceasefire and pulling Yemen into the wider regional conflict. According to the United Nations, the escalation of fighting in Yemen has displaced more than 122,000 people, with hundreds killed and thousands wounded between August and September alone.

The Riyadh schools decision is the clearest sign yet that the war is affecting daily life in the heart of the Saudi capital — and that authorities are preparing for a prolonged period of uncertainty.