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What Do We Know About the First Celebration of Saudi National Day?

The Abu Hijara Palace in the Taif Governorate (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Abu Hijara Palace in the Taif Governorate (Asharq Al-Awsat)
    Riyadh - Ghazi al-Harthi
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What Do We Know About the First Celebration of Saudi National Day?

The Abu Hijara Palace in the Taif Governorate (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Abu Hijara Palace in the Taif Governorate (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia celebrates this Friday its 92nd National Day, more than 9 decades after the unification of the Third Saudi State by the founding King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud.

The third king of the country, King Faisal bin Abdulaziz, issued a royal decree in Aug. 1965, stipulating that Saudi Arabia’s National Day be celebrated on the first day of al-Mizan at the beginning of the solar Hijri year, which falls on Sept. 23.

But the celebration of the Saudi National Day was known to have taken place on previous times after the unification of the country.

The 1932 Celebration

According to the Kingdom Heritage website of the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, the first celebration of the National Day of Saudi Arabia took place during the reign of King Abdulaziz, at the Abu Hijara Palace in the Taif Governorate, in the west of the country.

The national celebration was held in 1932, on the occasion of the famous royal declaration, which was read by then-Viceroy of Hejaz, Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz, announcing that the Kingdom of Hejaz, Najd and its annexes become the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Disagreement over the location of the first celebration

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Researcher and Writer Hammad Al-Salmi approved the version that says that the first celebration of the National Day took place in the Taif region, but reflected on the exact location of the event, saying: “Directives were issued to the princes of the regions to celebrate the National Day after King Abdulaziz announced the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the year 1352 AH while he was in Riyadh.”

He continued: “The ceremony of the Emirate of Makkah Al-Mukarramah was held under the patronage of Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy King of the Hejaz, at the Emirate’s Palace in Makkah, and the ceremony of the Emirate of Taif was held at the Emirate’s headquarters inside Taif.”

Al-Salmi disapproved the claim that the first celebration of the National Day was held in the Abu Hijara Palace in Taif, referring to a speech by Prince Talal, son of King Abdulaziz.

“When Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz honored me with a visit to the Al-Salmi Cultural Forum and as we accompanied him to the airport on his way back to Riyadh… One of the people claimed that King Abdulaziz celebrated the National Day in Abu Hijara... Prince Talal intervened and said firmly that this was a lie… as King Abdulaziz has never come to these mountains…” he recounted.

First National Holiday

In 2005, an exceptional three-day holiday was approved in Saudi Arabia on the occasion of the 75th National Day. According to various sources, this date marked the first official holiday in the country’s history.

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Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said on Saturday it “was time for the Southern Transitional Council in Yemen to listen to reason and prioritize public interest and unity of ranks and respond to the Saudi-Emirati mediation to end the escalation.”

In a post on the X platform, he called on the STC to withdraw its forces from the eastern Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces and restore control to the National Shield and local authorities.

Prince Khalid said Saudi Arabia formed the Arab coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen to help the country reclaim control over all of its territories.

The liberation of southern provinces was a pivotal development towards that goal, he stressed.

Saudi Arabia “views the southern issue as fundamental” to Yemen and it will not “exploit it in conflicts that do not serve” the nation, he added.

The Kingdom had brought together all Yemeni components to the Riyadh conference to come up with a clear path for a comprehensive political solution, including the southern issue, he went on to say.

The conference paved the way for a “just solution to their cause through dialogue and without the use of forces.”

“Saudi Arabia approved the decision to move the base of power so that the southerners could have a greater role in state institutions. It consolidated partnership instead of elimination or imposing a status quo through forces. Saudi Arabia also presented Yemen with economic support, as well as development and humanitarian initiatives that helped ease the suffering of the people,” Prince Khalid added.

“Saudi Arabia and its partners in the coalition offered sacrifices with their Yemeni brothers in liberating Aden and other provinces,” he noted. “The Kingdom has always sought that these sacrifices be made in the name of reclaiming territories and restoring the state, not as a path towards new conflicts.”

It had hoped that these sacrifices would have been “invested in the security of all Yemeni people, not exploited for petty gains, whereby the unfortunate developments in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra since the beginning of December 2025 have led to the division in ranks that should be united against the enemy.”

“The developments have laid waste to the sacrifices of our sons and Yemeni people and have harmed the just southern issue,” stressed Prince Khalid.

He noted that several southern leaderships and figures have exhibited “awareness and wisdom in supporting efforts to end the escalation in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra and prevent the secure southern provinces from being dragged into futile conflicts.”

“They are aware of the major challenges facing Yemen and will not allow saboteurs to achieve their goals in the country and the region,” he remarked.

He declared that the “southern issue will remain part of any comprehensive political solution. The cause will not be neglected or marginalized. It should be resolved through consensus, adhering to commitments and building trust between all Yemeni segments, not through adventures that only serve everyone's enemy.”

Gulf

Arab Coalition: We Will Deal with Military Moves that Violate De-escalation Efforts

Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
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Arab Coalition: We Will Deal with Military Moves that Violate De-escalation Efforts

Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (SPA)

Spokesman of the Arab coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen Brigadier General Turki al-Malki said on Saturday that “any military moves that violate de-escalation efforts will be dealt with directly to protect lives and ensure the success of Saudi and Emirati efforts.”

The statement is in response to a request by Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Dr. Rashad al-Alimi, who called for immediate steps to protect civilians in the eastern Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces in wake of the “grave and horrific” violations by members of the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

It is also in continuation of the strenuous joint efforts by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to de-escalate the situation and ensure the withdrawal of STC forces, who have been demanded to cede control to the National Shield forces and allow the local authorities to carry out their duties.

Malki underlined the Arab coalition’s continued firm support for the legitimate Yemeni government.

He also urged all sides to assume their national responsibility, exercise restraint and comply with efforts to reach peaceful solutions that preserve security and stability.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia Carries out Warning Strike on Yemen’s Hadhramaut, STC Says ‘Open to Coordination’

Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)
Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)
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Saudi Arabia Carries out Warning Strike on Yemen’s Hadhramaut, STC Says ‘Open to Coordination’

Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)
Southern forces patrol during a rally calling for South Yemen's independence, in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, 25 December 2025. (EPA)

Saudi Arabia called for calm in eastern Yemen, urging an end to unilateral military moves and for the Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces to return to their former positions outside of the Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces.

Riyadh, meanwhile, demonstrated its stance on the ground by carrying out a warning air strike, informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The strike sought to deliver a message that it will not allow a new status quo to be imposed on the ground by force and that it will not allow the violation of institutional frameworks that handle security in the eastern provinces.

It warned that any further escalation will be met with firmer measures.

Meanwhile, the STC, in an attempt to justify its military moves, said they were in “response to calls from residents of the south” and an attempt to confront terrorist threats and block Houthi smuggling routes.

The STC added that it was “open to any coordination or arrangements with Saudi Arabia”, questioning the airstrike, which it said “does not serve understandings.”

Observers told Asharq Al-Awsat that Saudi Arabia will welcome the coordination and arrangements if they helped end the escalation, led to the withdrawal of the STC and allowed the National Shield forces and the local authority to take over Hadhramaut and al-Mahra without needing to resort to force.

They stressed that the strike will lead to delivering the clear message that Riyadh may impose red lines by force to prevent any escalation.

Sourced told Asharq Al-Awsat that any future settlement over restoring the unity of Yemeni ranks will condition a return to the former status quo.