A severe wave of missile and drone attacks launched by Yemen’s Houthi movement has pummeled strategic sites across Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, exposing growing gaps in the kingdom’s air defenses and testing its diplomatic and military alliances.
The strikes have repeatedly hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, causing numerous flight cancellations, and battered the headquarters of state oil company Aramco, several hundred miles from rebel positions in Yemen. At least 19 people have died in the recent strikes, including 13 killed in an airport attack that injured hundreds more, AP News and Newsweek reported.
Tehran proposes talks amid escalating strikes
Following the bombardment of the capital’s international airport, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi offered on Sunday to mediate ceasefire discussions between Riyadh and the Houthis, according to Newsweek. The Saudi government issued no public response to the offer, and the rebels struck the Aramco facility just two days later.
Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said on Wednesday that the group welcomes mediated talks with Saudi officials. However, the rebels continue to demand a complete end to the Saudi naval and air blockade, the disbursement of public-sector salaries from port revenues, and official recognition of their political authority in Yemen, according to regional analysts cited by Newsweek.
Regional security specialists warn that Tehran may no longer wield the authority required to halt Houthi operations at will. Andreas Krieg, a Middle East security expert at King’s College London, told Newsweek that the Houthis are not simply a “remote-controlled Iranian militia” and have established their own military and governing infrastructure. While Tehran provides crucial technology and guidance, Krieg noted that Iran cannot simply trade away the rebel movement’s goals in diplomatic negotiations.
Alliances tested under aerial pressure
The escalation has also exposed limits in Saudi Arabia’s security partnerships. When Houthi fighters advanced toward the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait last month, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked U.S. President Donald Trump to launch retaliatory airstrikes, Newsweek reported. Trump declined the request for direct air intervention, choosing instead to provide intelligence and targeting support.
Saudi Arabia has also sought closer ties with other regional partners, signing the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement on Aug. 7 with Turkey and Pakistan. While Ankara has provided technical aid, intelligence and defensive equipment, it has refrained from launching offensive strikes against the rebels, Newsweek reported. Pakistan has flown sorties over rebel-held territory, but Islamabad has not confirmed direct military engagement.
Israel offered to assist Saudi Arabia with military operations against Houthi forces, but Riyadh has not accepted that proposal, according to Newsweek.
Expanding domestic arsenal
Despite years of bombardment by Saudi-led forces, as well as past airstrikes conducted by the U.S., Britain and Israel, the Houthis have expanded their reach and stockpiles. A 2024 United Nations report estimated the group had recruited up to 350,000 fighters, up tenfold from 2015.
While Iran denies arming the rebels in violation of a U.N. weapons embargo, smuggled shipments have repeatedly been intercepted, AP News reported. The Houthis have also made concerted efforts to manufacture weapons domestically at a fraction of the cost of the advanced U.S.-supplied interceptors that Saudi Arabia relies upon to defend its skies.
A recent Conflict Armament Research investigation found the group sought components from Chinese suppliers to manufacture ballistic missiles with an estimated range of 1,200 miles, according to reports by AP News and Newsweek.
Whether Saudi Arabia will accept an Iranian-mediated diplomatic off-ramp or risk further depletion of its interceptor stockpiles remains uncertain as attacks on critical infrastructure continue.
