Saudi Arabia Has Few Options as Houthis Aim at Heart of Its Ambitions
New York Times · LC · trust 26/100
Three deadly attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen on an airport in the Saudi capital underscored the asymmetrical nature of their conflict with the kingdom.
Listen · 7:58 min Share full article Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia in Paris in August. Houthi strikes on the Saudi capital, Riyadh, have cast a shadow on his efforts to transform the kingdom into a global hub for business and tourism. Credit... Pool photo by Julie Sebadelha By Vivian Nereim
Yet the prince, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, has few options as he confronts an asymmetrical conflict with an adversary that has become stronger since he led a disastrous war against it a decade ago, analysts say.
The Houthis have carried out three fatal attacks on an international airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, over the past week. Those included an apparent missile or drone strike on a passenger terminal on Saturday that killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300, many of them critically, forcing officials to suspend operations at the airport, according to the Saudi authorities.
The attacks have brought the kingdom’s faraway war in Yemen home, stripping Saudis and foreign residents of the sense of security that they had largely maintained throughout years of a Saudi-led bombing campaign in neighboring Yemen.
They have also hit at the heart of Prince Mohammed’s ambitions to transform Saudi Arabia from an insular, oil-dependent nation into a global hub for business and tourism.
But there is no easy way for the crown prince to halt the Houthis’ attacks. A political resolution with the militia has become increasingly difficult to reach as its confidence and demands grow, and attempting to defeat the Houthis militarily is unlikely to work either, analysts say. The group has little to lose, and has become increasingly battle-hardened after repeated confrontations with powerful, wealthier enemies.
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