Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia show the Yemeni rebels' growing strength

Recent weeks have seen the Yemeni Houthi rebels display their growing military strength through a series of strikes against Saudi Arabia. The Iranian-backed group has seized territory near a key shipping chokepoint and repeatedly targeted Saudi Arabia's main international airport, hundreds of miles away. Throughout the past decade, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Britain, and Israel have launched intense air raids on the rebels, only for them to quickly grow stronger once again.

The Saudi government has found it challenging to counter these attacks, even with advanced U.S.-supplied weaponry. A senior Saudi diplomat revealed that Iran is actively encouraging the escalation and that the Houthis turned down a negotiation offer in the summer. The rebels operate in a vast, mountainous area, enabling them to disperse their fighters and military infrastructure while threatening major oil facilities and crucial trade routes.

Iran and its allies in Lebanon and Iraq provide expertise, training, and sophisticated weapons to the Houthis. Reports suggest the group has sought precision-guided ballistic missiles with a range of about 1,200 miles, sourced from Chinese suppliers, and currently possesses an array of warheads, cruise missiles, and drones that can reach all Gulf states and Israel.

The Houthis have also utilized advanced anti-ship missiles and naval drones to strike vessels in the Red Sea, posing a significant threat to a vital trade route.

Iran denies supplying weapons to the Houthis, which would violate a U.N. embargo. China, however, has not directly responded to the latest report but emphasizes its "prudent and responsible" approach to military exports. Smuggled Iranian weapons and parts have been seized from various Yemen-bound shipments, and a 2024 U.N. report documented extensive military ties between the Houthis, Iran, and its allies.

The rebels have recruited up to 350,000 fighters by 2024, compared to just 30,000 in 2015 when Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen's civil war. Though the Houthis can target oil and other infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and off its coast using relatively inexpensive drones and missiles, Iran supplies advanced components like guidance systems. The rebels may even be utilizing artificial intelligence to enhance their missile capabilities.

Saudi Arabia possesses advanced U.S.-supplied weapons, including aircraft and missile defenses against Iran during the war's peak. However, with limited supplies of high-end interceptors, it remains uncertain how long the kingdom can withstand the ongoing attacks, not only from the Houthis but also from Iran-backed militias in Iraq responsible for an attack that briefly halted a critical oil export pipeline.

The Houthis' repeated strikes on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh have led to flight cancellations, school closures, and broader disruptions to the kingdom's ambitious plans to become a global business, tourism, and sports hub. The vulnerable assets scattered across Saudi Arabia's sparsely populated territory, roughly three times the size of Texas, are stretched over a 1,300-kilometer border with Yemen, which passes through rugged desert regions.