Schools across Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, resumed in-person classes on Monday after authorities abruptly reversed a decision to close schools for a week.
Parents had received late-night messages on Sunday informing them that schools would remain closed and classes would move online. However, another directive was issued hours later, ordering schools to reopen for physical learning.
The Saudi authorities did not publicly explain the reason for either the initial closure or the subsequent reversal.
The development comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf and a recent increase in attacks targeting Saudi Arabia by Houthi fighters in Yemen.
One message sent to parents late Sunday stated that, following a directive from the Ministry, all Riyadh campuses would reopen for in-person learning on Monday.
Several parents told AFP that the sudden changes caused confusion, particularly because both announcements were made late at night.
The reversal came a day after the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis announced that it had intercepted drones and ballistic missiles aimed at the kingdom.
The incidents were the latest in a series of Houthi attacks that have escalated since July, when renewed fighting ended a years-long truce and became part of the wider conflict in the Middle East.
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