Saudi Arabia's government ceased issuing public warnings about imminent military attacks just days before a series of deadly strikes on Riyadh's airport killed at least 18 people and wounded over 300, Reuters reported. The government has not provided an explanation for the absence of alerts to the public before the four attacks that occurred last week.
Previously, these warnings had served to highlight the ongoing violence stemming from the kingdom's war with Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, undermining Saudi efforts to project an image of calm and stability. The sudden silence of the warning system during the recent airport strikes has raised serious questions about the kingdom's vulnerability to attack and its capacity to protect residents and visitors, four Western and Arab officials and political analysts told Reuters.
The officials and analysts suggested that the move also reflected an attempt by the government to maintain a sense of normalcy for its population and international stakeholders.
"They (the Saudi government) want to have it both ways: to launch a military operation and at the same time try to give confidence to the population and external stakeholders," said Sultan Alamer, a U.S.-based Saudi academic and a Senior Resident Fellow at the Middle East Policy Council think tank.
The attacks come amid an escalation in the conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi movement. While the Houthis have claimed responsibility for the strikes, the failure of the public alert system has prompted questions about the effectiveness of Saudi Arabia's extensive air defense systems.
The incident has heightened concerns over the security of critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and increased pressure on the government to be more transparent about its defense and public safety strategies.
Source: Reuters
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