The 99-storey tower in Riyadh issued the directive on Sunday, instructing office tenants to work remotely and refrain from visiting their workplaces. Building management did not provide a specific reason for the decision.
The move came after Saudi authorities reported intercepting drones near Riyadh and issued security alerts in several areas. The shopping mall located at the base of the skyscraper remains open.
The Kingdom Centre houses offices of major international organisations and businesses, including Merrill Lynch, McKinsey and the International Monetary Fund.
Schools in Riyadh and surrounding areas have also extended online learning for a second week. Meanwhile, King Khalid International Airport remains closed following a major attack last week that reportedly killed 13 people.
The renewed disruption comes as the conflict involving Yemen’s Houthi movement and the Saudi-led coalition intensifies amid the wider US-Iran war.
The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two drones in the Riyadh region and another over the oil-rich Eastern Province. Authorities also reported intercepting two ballistic missiles in southern Saudi Arabia.
The coalition separately announced the deaths of two helicopter pilots in Najran near the Yemeni border, attributing the incident to a technical malfunction. However, a Houthi military spokesman claimed the group had downed a Saudi Apache helicopter in the area.
The Houthis have also targeted Saudi interests, including oil facilities, tankers in the Red Sea and Riyadh’s airport, while the Saudi-led coalition has continued airstrikes against Houthi-controlled territory.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s parliament postponed a vote on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s request to authorise military support for Saudi Arabia, extending deliberations until Monday.
Sisi has said Egypt is prepared to take defensive measures if requested by Riyadh, stressing that the intention is to protect Saudi Arabia rather than initiate attacks.
The escalating conflict has raised concerns about regional security, commercial operations and shipping through the Red Sea, a crucial route connecting Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal.
