Everything Sawti has published in connection with this country.
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which considers an armed attack on any one of the three countries to be an attack on all three. It aims to strengthen collective deterrence and develop defence cooperation as the parties seek to support regional and international security and stability.
Lufthansa and three Indian airlines, including Air India, have suspended flights to the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The suspensions followed Houthi attacks and involved German and Indian carriers operating routes to the kingdom.
Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, said Houthi attacks on civilians and civilian sites would face a firm response, announcing the destruction of three missile launchers. The statement came after two attacks on King Khalid International Airport which, according to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, killed three Saudis and injured citizens and residents.
French Armed Forces Chief of Staff Fabien Mandon said Paris and Riyadh were considering options to help protect the Yanbu oil port, which could include using French military assets. During a parliamentary hearing, he said the port had come under attack, noting that France had deployed about 2,000 troops in the region.
Pakistan confirmed on Friday that it has forces in Saudi Arabia, stressing that their mission is exclusively defensive, amid an escalating conflict with Iran-backed Houthi forces. The announcement coincided with a European agency expanding an aviation warning related to Saudi airspace because of Houthi attacks.
Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry said it had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards Riyadh, while the Civil Defence said debris from the interception caused property damage to a kindergarten and a clinic complex. Reports said Saudi Arabia subsequently bombed threat sites in Sanaa.
Three people were killed in attacks targeting two airports in Saudi Arabia, as fighting escalated in Yemen and tensions with the Houthis intensified. The attacks targeted two aviation facilities in the kingdom, with three confirmed fatalities.
The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority announced that three citizens were killed and several citizens and residents injured in two attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday. One attack struck airport facilities, while the other targeted a Saudi Airlines aircraft parked on the ground. Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis of responsibility.
The coalition announced that it had intercepted two ballistic missiles that it said the Houthis launched towards Riyadh, while Saudi Civil Defence reported that shrapnel resulting from the interception and destruction of a missile caused material damage to a nursery and a medical clinic complex in the Saudi capital.
The Houthi group announced on Thursday, 8 October 2026, that it had launched a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, saying the attack disrupted air traffic. There was no immediate Saudi confirmation of the latest reported attack, which came a day after three people were reported killed and 36 injured in attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports.
The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation said three people were killed and 36 others injured, including citizens and residents of several nationalities, in two attacks targeting facilities at Abha and King Khalid international airports on Tuesday and Wednesday. The attacks also caused material damage.
The Saudi Film Commission has selected the feature film ‘A Matter of Life or Death’, directed by Anas Batah, to represent the kingdom at the 99th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. Set in Jeddah, the film combines romance and black comedy. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in March 2027.
Saudi Arabia won the Arabian Gulf Cup for the fourth time in its history after beating the UAE 2-0 in the final of the 27th edition in Jeddah. Hamam Al-Hamami and Firas Al-Buraikan scored the two goals within the first 13 minutes, while Saudi Arabia completed the tournament without conceding a goal.
Lebanese singer Fadl Shaker will perform at the Abu Bakr Salem Theatre in Riyadh on 22 October, marking his first public appearance at Riyadh Season after a long absence. Turki Alalshikh announced that tickets for the concert would go on sale on Wednesday evening, while Shaker is expected to perform songs from his archive alongside more recent work.
Saudi Arabia is moving to cancel plans to build the Neom stadium designated for the 2034 World Cup, with an expected cost of 2.5 billion US dollars, according to two sources. MEED has listed the project among those on hold, as the kingdom faces pressure amid the Iran war.
A photo posted by a Saudi user showing a coffee cup filled to the brim has received more than 19 million views on X after he used it to respond to a comment following the emergency landing of a flydubai flight in Tabuk. Users interpreted the image based on the significance of serving coffee in local culture.
Arab countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the Houthi group’s targeting of a power station supplying the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, describing the attack as a violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and the sanctity of Islamic holy sites. The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and Egypt affirmed their solidarity with the Kingdom and support for its measures to protect its security and stability.
Saudi and Emirati authorities are continuing to investigate Flydubai flight FZ 1073, which made an emergency landing in Tabuk after the co-pilot attacked the captain. Benjamin Netanyahu said determining any possible links to Iran could take days, while Flydubai suspended flights to and from Israel until the investigations are complete.
flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv, diverted and landed safely at Tabuk Airport after an altercation in the cockpit. While Israeli and US officials spoke of an attempt to bring down the aircraft, the airline said the causes and motives remained under official investigation.
Israeli authorities described the incident involving flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv as an attempt to bring down the aircraft, while Flydubai said an altercation had taken place inside the cockpit and that it was too early to determine the causes and motives. The aircraft landed safely at Tabuk airport after issuing a distress call and activating emergency procedures.
UAE Vice-President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed bilateral relations and regional developments with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a visit to Riyadh, the first by a senior Emirati official to the kingdom since public differences emerged between the two countries over Yemen.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received UAE Vice-President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, during a visit to the Kingdom at the invitation of Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. The meeting discussed relations between the two countries and developments in the region.
Qatar face Yemen on Sunday in the second round of Group B at the Gulf Cup in Jeddah, seeking a win that would secure their place in the semi-finals. Yemen are clinging to their final chance after losing 4-0 to the United Arab Emirates, while Qatar enter the match buoyed by a 2-0 victory over Bahrain.
The Gulf Cooperation Council affirmed that its member states stand with Saudi Arabia and support its measures to protect its security and sovereignty following ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting Riyadh and Khamis Mushait. The council’s Secretary-General called on the international community to adopt a firm stance, while the coalition supporting legitimacy announced that it had intercepted two drones and two missiles.
