Arabic version: إبلاغ الأستراليين في الرياض بالبقاء في الملاجئ داخل المباني

According to ABC News, the Australian embassy in Riyadh has issued a new shelter-in-place order as Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis continue to exchange deadly attacks. The embassy urged people to stay indoors, follow local authorities’ advice and avoid unnecessary travel.

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh closed over the weekend after consecutive attacks that killed 14 people and injured more than 320 others. The Houthis claimed responsibility and warned travellers and airline workers to stay away from Saudi airports. The airport closure was extended on Monday, with Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation not saying when it would reopen.

The Saudi-led coalition battling the Iran-aligned Yemeni group said on Monday it was dealing with drones and missiles heading towards Saudi Arabia. The disruption has led airlines across Europe and Asia to suspend services, while the US Federal Aviation Administration advised carriers on Sunday to exercise caution when flying to or over Saudi Arabia. Businesses in Riyadh’s financial hub told employees to work remotely, and authorities asked schools to move to online classes.

Saudi authorities have opened an investigation into an air-defence failure to respond to Houthi missiles that struck the airport. Two regional officials said an initial probe indicated the Houthis fired multiple drones before using a mix of cruise and ballistic missiles. The investigation is also examining why there was no early warning, given the missiles and drones travelled more than 1,000 kilometres to reach Riyadh.

In Yemen, a spokesperson for the Houthi-run Health Ministry said air strikes on Sanaa killed one person and wounded 12 others. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it was ready to help settle the conflict through diplomatic means. Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and his Saudi counterpart discussed developments by phone on Sunday.