Iran-Krieg: Saudi-Arabien und Jemen: Eine neue Front im Iran-Krieg

Saudi Arabia and Yemen have become a new battleground in the ongoing Iran War. On a weekend attack, Riyadh accused the Huthi militia in Yemen, claiming it was the deadliest assault on the Arabian Peninsula in a decade and the deadliest in a Gulf nation since the Iran war began. The Huthi are an Islamist movement in Yemen, stemming from a Shiite Islam sect known as Zaidites.

Emerging in the 1990s, they became radicalized after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. In the impoverished Yemen, they initiated several uprisings against the government, culminating in a civil war in 2014 where they seized large territories, including the capital Sanaa. Initially focused on maintaining and expanding their power in Yemen, the Huthi grew increasingly powerful militarily and financially with Iranian support since the 2000s.

Today, they are estimated to have around 350,000 fighters and a growing arsenal. The Huthi, viewed as a major threat by Israel and the U.S., gained more influence due to the Gaza War and Iran war. The recent attack on Riyadh's airport with 12 deaths and over 300 injuries marked a new level of aggression. Although a ceasefire existed in Yemen since 2022, Riyadh sought ways to end the costly war.

However, mediation attempts by Oman and the UN only brought partial success. Since the Huthi's September offensive towards the Bab al-Mandab strait, there have been intense clashes, with Saudi Arabia supporting the internationally recognized government. The Huthi see this as an opportunity to strengthen their international influence, aiming to coordinate attacks with Syrian and Iraqi militias and build connections with Russia and China.

Their attack on Riyadh demonstrates their capability to impact the political and economic center of a major Arab regional power. The Iran War plays a crucial role here, as without it, the Yemen situation would likely not have escalated so quickly. The war with Iran is not viewed in isolation in the Arab world but as part of the escalation of Israel's conflicts in Gaza and the West Bank, Syria, and Lebanon.

It has also reignited internal power struggles in Iraq between Iran's influence and the U.S. The July Iranian flight with a Huthi delegation returning from Iran's supreme leader's funeral further activated Iran's presence in Yemen, signaling to the U.S. and allies that Iran can cause trouble elsewhere, particularly for Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries.

Saudi Arabia is now trying to involve the U.S. and other partners more in defense, as the attacks represent a significant setback for their efforts to make the country a hub for business and tourism. The FII investor conference starting in two weeks in Riyadh, a key event to attract foreign investors, risks losing credibility due to the airport attacks.

The U.S. President Donald Trump may consider new attacks in Yemen, where U.S. military has already targeted Huthi sites in 2024 and 2025, primarily to protect shipping.