Saudia Arabia facing increased pressure on multiple fronts from Houthis, Iran
Saudi Arabia is facing growing pressure from multiple directions as the Houthis in Yemen expand their capabilities and Iran threatens vital infrastructure, and that is causing “great anxiety and pressure” in Riyadh, a source close to the Saudi government has told The Jerusalem Post.
“They’re surrounded from the south and the north and the east,” the source said, adding that the Houthis and the Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq are major security concerns.
At the same time, Iran poses a different kind of threat, with Riyadh concerned that a direct confrontation could expose critical infrastructure, including desalination facilities, to Iranian missile and drone attacks, the source said, adding: “They definitely thought that they were vulnerable, and they were against the war between Israel-US and Iran.”
Nevertheless, the Saudi approach has been markedly different toward the Houthis, whom Riyadh appears to have initially underestimated.
“I think they miscalculated,” a diplomat in the region told the Post. “They really thought that they had Yemeni forces who could really stand up to the Houthis.”
Riyadh has adopted two fundamentally different approaches toward its adversaries.
With Iran, the preferred strategy is negotiation and mediation rather than direct military confrontation. That is largely because of concerns over the potential consequences of an Iranian attack on Saudi infrastructure.
Houthis progressing along Red Sea coast
The calculation is different regarding the Houthis.
“When it comes to the Houthis, they have a much more aggressive, forward-leaning, military solution,” the source close to the Saudi government said.
Saudi Arabia is supporting Yemeni forces opposed to the Houthis while also providing air support.
But Riyadh’s initial reluctance to employ air power more aggressively allowed the Houthis to make significant gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
The Tihamah coastal plain is largely flat rather than mountainous, making it particularly vulnerable to air power.
“It could have easily been stopped with air power,” the diplomat said, citing platforms such as Apache helicopters and C-130 gunships.
Instead, Riyadh initially relied on anti-Houthi Yemeni forces to halt the advance.
“They had confidence that the Yemeni anti-Houthis would stop them, and there was a kind of hesitancy or reticence to get involved,” the diplomat said.
That hesitation gave the Houthis crucial time to consolidate their position.
“That gave the Houthis the 24 hours they needed to take over the entire coast,” the diplomat said, adding that the decision was a “huge mistake.”
The Saudis, it seems, are deeply disappointed with the performance of forces led by Tariq Saleh, which failed to prevent the Houthi advance despite receiving training, funding, and weapons from Gulf states.
The forces were initially supported by the United Arab Emirates and later by Saudi Arabia, the source close to the Saudi government said.
“In hindsight, they think that the Tariq al-Saleh forces who didn’t fight, despite being paid and trained and armed,… must have disappointed them,” the source said.
Riyadh is now making greater use of air power. The Houthis have claimed more than 40 airstrikes over the past 24 hours.
The shift in approach has so far helped prevent the Houthis from expanding eastward toward Marib and capturing additional territory around Taiz and other parts of Yemen.
Trump refuses to strike Houthis
US President Donald Trump has refused to conduct airstrikes against the Houthis. While CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper did visit Saudi Arabia over the weekend, US officials also met in Oman with Houthi representatives, who reportedly gave them a commitment not to target US ships.
So, why is the US not assisting with the Houthis?
“If it’s for technical, strategic, and military reasons, I can understand,” the source close to the Saudi government said. “If it’s a political chasing away of America, then that’s really problematic.”
Trump’s approach toward Riyadh could be influenced by a number of factors, including disagreements over Saudi support for US-led regional security initiatives.
Trump might believe the Saudis have not been sufficiently supportive, or he could view the US military presence in the region as overextended.
Trump’s strategic thinking is often difficult to predict, the source stressed.
“He’s very capricious,” the source said, adding that a decision to reduce US support could have consequences beyond the immediate political dispute.
Israel assisting Saudi Arabia against Houthis, diplomats say
Despite the growing pressure, Saudi Arabia remains pragmatic in its foreign and security policy, including publicly seeking greater assistance from Israel, the source said.
Israel is assisting Saudi Arabia, with CENTCOM mediating the sharing of intelligence on the Houthis, diplomats in the region told the Post.
“If it gets really bad for the Saudis and they need help, and they’re not going to get it from anyone else,” Riyadh could potentially reconsider its current positions, the source said, adding that its decision-making would ultimately depend on the nature and severity of the assistance required.
“It depends on the nature of the help they need and how desperate they get,” the source said. “The Saudis are ultimately very pragmatic. Regime survival comes before anything else.”