Energy Giants Cancel Riyadh Conference After Deadly Houthi Airport Strike
BP, ExxonMobil and other energy giants canceled their participation in a Riyadh conference following a deadly Houthi missile strike on the Saudi capital's airport.
Global energy giants, including BP and ExxonMobil, announced their withdrawal from an international conference in Riyadh following a deadly Houthi missile strike on the capital's airport. Concurrently, the USA and the United Kingdom issued strict travel warnings for the kingdom.
The international airport in Riyadh remains completely closed since Saturday, when a missile fired by the Houthis from Yemen struck the facility. The attack resulted in 13 deaths, including foreign nationals from the USA, Jordan, and other countries, with over 300 injured and evacuated to hospitals. Yesterday, Saudi authorities reported additional injuries from a second strike on the airport. The Houthis reiterated warnings for individuals to stay away from airports and critical infrastructure in the kingdom.
The sequence of attacks triggered a wave of cancellations among global energy executives, who boycotted the international oil conference. The conference opened yesterday at a convention center located just ten kilometers from the airport, but without industry leaders. BP officially announced that its CEO, Meg O'Neill, would not attend.
According to a Financial Times report, the CEOs of ExxonMobil, Total, and Shell, who were expected to participate, also canceled their attendance. Shell declined to comment, while no responses were received from ExxonMobil and Total.
