Despite military might, Saudi Arabia struggles to defeat Houthis

Saudi Arabia has spent billions of dollars on advanced weapons, but it has struggled for more than a decade to defeat Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The Houthis have recently made major gains in Yemen, capturing much of the country’s Red Sea coast and taking control of strategic islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. They have also attacked Saudi targets and disrupted the kingdom’s oil exports.

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Saudi Arabia has one of the region’s best-equipped militaries, with large purchases of American, British and French weapons. However, experts say its reliance on local forces fighting on the ground has limited the effectiveness of its military campaign.

The difficult terrain in Yemen has also favoured the Houthis, who have years of experience fighting in the country’s mountains and other challenging areas. Iranian support has further helped the group develop its military capabilities.

The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, prompting Saudi Arabia to lead a military intervention the following year. Despite years of Saudi-led airstrikes, the Houthis survived and continued to strengthen their position.

The latest Houthi offensive has dealt another major setback to Saudi Arabia. The group has advanced along the Red Sea coast and seized territory and islands overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s important shipping routes.

Saudi Arabia is now seeking additional military support from countries including France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt as its stock of missile interceptors comes under pressure. The United States, which has been Saudi Arabia’s main weapons supplier, has provided intelligence support but has so far avoided direct military involvement against the Houthis.

The conflict has also put Saudi Arabia’s oil exports under increasing pressure. The Houthis have targeted Saudi oil infrastructure and shipping, while a major Saudi pipeline has been shut down following an attack blamed on Iran-aligned forces.

The latest developments have raised concerns that Saudi Arabia could face a difficult choice between expanding its military campaign and seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict.