Saudi Arabia Proceeds with Global Energy Summit Despite Deadly Riyadh Airport Attack

Saudi Arabia pushed forward with a major gathering of global energy ministers and industry executives on Sunday, coming just hours after an attack by Yemen's Houthis on Riyadh's international airport left 12 people dead and 309 injured.

The International Energy Forum's 17th ministerial meeting, hosted by Saudi Arabia and co-hosted by Italy and Nigeria, is taking place alongside the WPC Energy Congress, gathering policymakers and industry leaders. According to a Saudi Energy Ministry spokeswoman, media access to the ministerial meeting will be restricted, with only journalists invited directly by the IEF allowed to cover the opening remarks. "As you are aware, the ministerial plenary will be held behind closed doors," she stated, adding that no live broadcast pool arrangements were established.

The event moves forward despite escalating security concerns following repeated strikes on King Khalid International Airport, which have compelled airlines to cancel flights and complicated travel logistics for delegates. Italian Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin announced on Friday that he would join the IEF meeting via video link rather than traveling to Riyadh. Meanwhile, the WPC Energy Congress runs from Sunday until Thursday and is proceeding as planned, with organizers instructing delegates to use alternative routes into the Saudi capital, such as traveling by road from Dammam on the kingdom's east coast. A representative for the Saudi coalition reported that a projectile landed near King Fahd Airport in Dammam on Saturday.

Saturday's strike marked the third attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport in a single week and stands as the deadliest incident in Saudi Arabia in over a decade. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the assault, which resulted in the deaths of four Saudis and eight foreign citizens, including one individual from the US. Two prior attacks on the airport earlier in the week killed four people and severely damaged a Saudi commercial aircraft parked on the tarmac.

The most recent strike triggered extensive disruptions to aviation, leading to the cancellation of approximately 260 flights and the delay of another 219 on Saturday, based on flight-tracking data from Flightradar24. These attacks have heightened security worries as Saudi Arabia attempts to sustain its schedule of high-profile international events amidst the growing regional spillover of the war. Riyadh remains slated to host the Future Investment Initiative from October 26 to 29, with organizers confirming the event will continue as scheduled under enhanced security measures.