Saudi Arabia is operating at a standstill in the face of Houthi attacks; two pilots killed.

An iconic Riyadh tower that mandates teleworking, schools that extend online classes and an airport that remains closed: daily life in Saudi Arabia is disrupted by repeated Houthi strikes against the kingdom.

The Riyadh-led coalition, which is fighting the pro-Iranian movement in Yemen, also announced the first military deaths since the resumption of hostilities in July.

"An AH-6i reconnaissance helicopter belonging to the National Guard crashed (...) on Saudi territory in the Najran region after a technical failure, causing the death of the two officers who made up its crew," according to spokesman Turki al-Malki, quoted by the official SPA news agency.

The Houthis claimed on Saturday to have "shot down a Saudi enemy Apache helicopter" in the same region.

Every day, Saudi Arabia intercepts drones or missiles fired by the opposing side.

- Unprecedented scale -

After years of calm, the conflict between the Yemeni government supported by Riyadh and the Houthis, which began in 2014, reignited this summer, opening a new front in the Middle East war.

Hostilities intensified in September, with the Houthis seizing control of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and launching unprecedented attacks against the kingdom, particularly on its oil infrastructure and airports.

On October 10, an attack on Riyadh airport killed 13 people and injured hundreds. It has been closed ever since, with no reopening date announced.

The stakes are all the higher because October usually marks the start of the season for major events – conventions, entertainment – attracting top executives and CEOs, with the end of the summer heat.

In the capital, offices have closed their doors: the Kingdom Centre, a 99-story tower in the center of the capital housing, among other things, the regional office of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), imposed teleworking on employees on Sunday, "with immediate effect and until further notice".

Schools, meanwhile, have extended distance learning in Riyadh and its surrounding areas.

- Vote expected from the Egyptian Parliament -

These attacks have highlighted, according to experts, the kingdom's defense weaknesses, despite its considerable investments in advanced military equipment. And its appeals for international aid, particularly from the United States, have so far been largely unsuccessful.

Egypt, however, has said it is ready to provide assistance, and its Parliament is due to meet in an extraordinary session on Sunday at the request of the president to approve this aid.

Cairo is not "seeking to play a role" in regional conflicts, but it is "inconceivable" to do nothing if Saudi Arabia is "harmed, or its security and stability are threatened," President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said.

"I am not talking about confronting or attacking anyone. We are only talking about defense," he stressed, calling for a cessation of hostilities.

The country did not join the Mecca defense pact concluded in August between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan. But Riyadh has long been a key supporter of Cairo.

Fighting continues on Yemeni soil. The latest Saudi airstrikes since Friday have killed 12 people, including three children, and injured dozens in the southwest of the country, according to pro-Iranian fighters.

Their news agency Saba accused the Saudi army, which is conducting daily raids in Yemen, of using "cluster bombs, which are banned internationally".

Accused by Saudi Arabia and Yemen of having "encouraged the recent escalation", Iran denied any involvement and on Saturday called for a political settlement of the conflict.

Tehran has renewed its proposal for Iranian mediation, which has gone unanswered by Riyadh and been rejected by Aden.