Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia continues to escalate its attacks on Saudi Arabia targeting energy facilities but, above all, airports. On Saturday, a missile attack on Riyadh's international airport killed 13 people and injured more than 300. In a second attack on Sunday, the militia killed another civilian and injured 11 others.
According to their own statements, the Houthis also attacked Saudi Arabia's airport in Dammam and two oil facilities within the past 24 hours. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud warned of the consequences for energy security and announced a strong response. According to a report by the US think tank American Enterprise Institute, Saudi Arabia is targeting Houthi missile launch pads, storage facilities and other military infrastructure in Yemen.
The institute quotes Saudi military spokesman Turki al-Maliki in its October 11 report as saying that 136 military targets have already been destroyed. However, years of Saudi-led military intervention between 2015 and 2022 in Yemen have not succeeded in defeating the Houthi militia. Moreover, the Saudi-led international coalition formed in 2015 has fallen apart and the United Arab Emirates has withdrawn its troops.
The Iran-aligned Houthis not only control large parts of northern Yemen but also increasingly the western coastline from where they disrupt international shipping through the Red Sea and the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait. In early September, drones also severely damaged the Saudi East-West oil pipeline. The temporary shutdown disrupted oil exports and increased risks for the energy markets.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video For weeks, the Saudi government has been seeking allies in the fight against the Houthi militia. In late September, the United Kingdom and France pledged military support to defend Saudi infrastructure. London offered aerial refueling for Saudi fighter jets, while Paris announced it would provide troops, radar systems and air defense technology to protect the Yanbu oil terminal.
However, while the US recently refused to fight alongside Saudi Arabia against the Houthis, there could now be a change of heart in Washington, writes political analyst Osamah Al-Rawhani in a study by the Yemeni think tank Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies. He notes that it remains to be seen whether this could actually lead to a successful offensive, as holding on to captured territories and launching counterattacks require significant financial resources, political commitment and the necessary resolve. In his view, it is questionable whether Saudi Arabia would be able to muster the necessary perseverance.
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