Saudi Arabia Launches 40 Airstrikes on Houthis as Iran Threats Deepen Riyadh Anxiety
Updated
Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Sep 16
Saudi Arabia Launches 40 Airstrikes on Houthis as Iran Threats Deepen Riyadh Anxiety
3 articles · Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Sep 16
Summary
More than 40 Saudi airstrikes hit Houthi targets in 24 hours, marking a sharper military response after Riyadh had initially held back air power in Yemen.
That shift followed Houthi gains along the Red Sea coast, where Saudi-backed anti-Houthi forces failed to stop the advance and, diplomats said, gave the Houthis 24 hours to seize the coastline.
Riyadh is treating the Houthis more aggressively than Iran because it fears a direct clash with Tehran could expose critical infrastructure — including desalination plants — to missile and drone attacks.
U.S. support remains limited: Donald Trump has refused to strike the Houthis even as CENTCOM engaged Saudi Arabia and U.S. officials met Houthi representatives in Oman over shipping security.
Israel is already helping via CENTCOM-mediated intelligence sharing, underscoring how pressure from the Houthis, Iran and allied Iraqi militias is pushing Saudi policy toward pragmatic security partnerships.
As Saudi Arabia escalates airstrikes in Yemen, could this aggressive shift inadvertently trigger the devastating infrastructure attacks Riyadh desperately fears?
With direct U.S. military intervention withheld, how long can the kingdom secure vital global oil chokepoints using only back-channel intelligence?
If both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb face simultaneous militia threats, what is the ultimate backup plan for global energy?