Saudi Arabia postpones major forums following Houthi missile strikes

Escalating Houthi missile and drone strikes across Saudi Arabia have forced the postponement of major international forums and disrupted the kingdom’s packed sports calendar, upending Riyadh’s strategy for global economic diversification and stability.

Global Forums and High-Profile Financial Conferences Pushed to 2027

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics announced on Friday, October 23, that two major international gatherings scheduled for late autumn have been pushed back to 2027. The United Nations World Data Forum and the Second Saudi Statistical Forum were originally slated to run from November 9 to November 12, 2026, in Riyadh, according to lexpress.fr.

These cancellations follow a string of high-level postponements across the kingdom. On Monday, organizers delayed the Future Investment Initiative (FII)—widely promoted as the “Davos in the Desert”—which was set for October 26 to October 29. The financial conference was projected to draw prominent executives including BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon. According to the Financial Times, organizers initially considered a virtual format before opting for an outright delay due to security concerns.

A diplomatic summit between the European Union and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), initially planned for October 24, was similarly postponed. lefigaro.fr reported that these cumulative disruptions directly challenge the aura of security and economic transformation cultivated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Airports Targeted as Strikes Intensify Across the Kingdom

The military escalation marks an unprecedented intensification of hostilities since the war in Yemen began in 2014, with Houthi forces launching near-daily assaults on Saudi infrastructure. On October 10, a missile strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 13 people and injured more than 300, prompting the closure of the aviation hub.

Further east, an attack struck Dammam’s international airport on Thursday, October 22, resulting in two additional fatalities. In response, the United States ordered the departure of non-essential government personnel and their families from Saudi Arabia.

Coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia reported intercepting multiple airborne threats over the capital and key industrial zones. Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the coalition, stated on social media that air defenses intercepted three drones in the kingdom’s south and over Riyadh, alongside two cruise missiles over the Red Sea and a ballistic missile above the Red Sea terminal of Yanbu. Meanwhile, a separate Houthi strike in Aden on Thursday targeted the seat of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, killing five people and injuring 16.

International Sports Events Shelved Amid Regional Insecurity

The security crisis has swept away prominent sports fixtures. The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition, established in 2024, alongside the Saudi leg of the World Rally Championship, have both faced postponement and cancellation.

Looking ahead to the upcoming motorsports calendar, the Dakar Rally is expected to return to Africa for its 49th edition in January because of political instability across the Middle East, particularly following five months of active combat sparked by United States and Israeli bombardments in Iran and the resumption of full-scale fighting in Yemen in July 2026.

Maritime routes have faced equal pressure. Following Houthi declarations in July instituting a maritime blockade against Saudi shipping and tightening control over the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea—a vital corridor for global energy deliveries—foreign governments have urged extreme caution. The Australian embassy issued an advisory on Friday, urging its nationals to postpone all travel to the kingdom, including religious journeys, and advising residents to depart on remaining commercial flights.