Energy chiefs skip Riyadh conferences after a second deadly airport attack

One person was killed and 11 injured in a Houthi attack on Riyadh’s international airport, which came a day after a missile hit the same target². The National reported countries condemning the attacks as the death toll rose to 13³. The New York Times reported Saudi and Yemeni airports hit in a new round of strikes¹.

US airlines were warned to exercise caution in Saudi airspace after the second deadly airport attack⁴. President Trump warned that the United States may hit the Houthis after an American was killed at the Saudi airport and the group threatened more attacks, and said at one point that he thought it was terrible¹⁰.

Why it matters to investors

The attacks are being read as an attempt to stop capital arriving. An Italian account described the deaths at Riyadh airport as part of a strategy to halt investment in Saudi Arabia, following the Houthi advance in September towards Mokha and Bab el-Mandeb and the Saudi-backed operations that answered it⁹.

It is already changing who turns up. Houthi attacks have disrupted Saudi events, with energy chiefs skipping the World Petroleum Congress and BlackRock chairman Larry Fink among those who had been expected to attend^6,7. Saudi Arabia plans to hold the Future Investment Initiative as scheduled, and its organisers said on Sunday that they were going ahead, in a statement the excerpt cuts off^6,8.

The kingdom’s answer is to keep the calendar. Riyadh is going ahead with its major events even after a second strike on the airport⁸, while the World Petroleum Congress has lost the energy chiefs it expected^6,7. Holding a conference that the guests do not attend is a partial answer at best.

What to watch

First, the interceptors. One report says Saudi Arabia is running low on the interceptors it needs to defend against Houthi missile strikes, and notes that the Revolutionary Guard reportedly launched 30 missiles on the same day⁵. A defence that runs out is a different risk from a defence that holds.

Second, whether the Future Investment Initiative goes ahead with its guest list intact, since the conference is proceeding but the energy executives are not travelling^6,7,8. Third, the American response, because Trump has raised the possibility of striking the Houthis directly¹⁰, which would widen the war rather than contain it.