April 7 - Multiple Western and Saudi firms operating in Riyadh have extended temporary work-from-home advisories this week, according to five people familiar with the matter. The moves come as businesses weigh safety risks tied to a U.S.-imposed deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or face what U.S. officials warned would be "hell".
The precautions have been prompted by concern across Gulf states that any U.S. escalation could provoke Iran to strike further at critical and civilian infrastructure in the region. Since the war began on February 28, Gulf countries have borne the brunt of a series of attacks attributed to Iran, and many in the region fear a new phase of retaliatory strikes.
Company advisories, which were sent out on Monday and Tuesday by email or text to staff, cover employees working in several of Riyadh's principal business locations. The affected sites include the King Abdullah Financial District, Faisaliah Tower, Business Gate and Laysen Valley, the people said. Those campuses house offices for major U.S. banks and technology firms such as Microsoft and Apple, in addition to Saudi entities including the sovereign wealth fund.
Employees had been initially directed to work from home at the start of last week, the people added. That earlier guidance followed Iranian threats to target major U.S. technology firms in the region, which Tehran said would be in response to U.S.-Israeli attacks and assassinations.
Requests for comment to the Saudi government media office were not immediately answered.
Saudi Arabia has reported enduring hundreds of drone and rocket attacks since the conflict commenced, but officials say most inbound threats have been intercepted. Compared with some neighboring states, Saudi authorities state the kingdom has been less directly affected than others such as the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
On Tuesday, Saudi officials said they intercepted and destroyed seven ballistic missiles that had been launched toward the kingdom's Eastern Region, with debris reported to have fallen near energy facilities. Separately, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported that a petrochemical complex in Saudi Arabia's Jubail industrial city was attacked.