Iran to the east, Iran-backed militias to the north, Houthi rebels to the south — Saudi Arabia faces threats on three fronts

Houthi drone-missile combination attacks overwhelm air defenses, leaving Riyadh with few good options

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [AFP]
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [AFP]

Saudi Arabia spends 112 trillion won ($83.6 billion) a year on defense, yet it has been unable to stop a relentless barrage of missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels. Despite acquiring advanced weapons systems from the United States and Europe and building a multilayered air-defense network, the kingdom has seen key infrastructure — airports, oil refineries and pipelines — struck repeatedly, raising serious questions about its defensive capabilities.

The vulnerability was laid bare on Saturday, when Houthi rebels struck King Khalid International Airport in the capital Riyadh, killing 13 people and wounding more than 300.

CNN analyzed Tuesday (local time) why Saudi Arabia continues to absorb such punishment despite its sophisticated arsenal and layered defenses.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Saudi Arabia's military spending last year ranked eighth in the world at $83.6 billion. At 6.5 percent of GDP, its defense burden ranked fifth globally.

"Saudi Arabia has a lot to defend," CNN said, noting that the country is one-fifth the size of the United States and must protect widely dispersed critical facilities while facing threats from three directions.

When fighting in the Middle East war that began in February this year intensified, Iran fired roughly 1,000 missiles and drones at targets inside Saudi Arabia from the east.

From the north, Iran-backed militias in Iraq launched drones targeting Saudi Arabia's east-west oil pipelines.

From the south, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fire missiles at Saudi Arabia from concealed positions in mountainous terrain or from mobile launchers.

The Houthis also employ a "saturation" tactic — combining ballistic missiles and cruise missiles with long-range drones to overwhelm Saudi air defenses.

Experts said the Houthis' latest missiles, including the Hatem-2 and Palestine-2, closely resemble Iranian designs and combine high speed with precision.

Saudi Arabia now finds itself in a dilemma over how to respond to the unrelenting attacks.

Striking a deal with the Houthis carries heavy political costs given the mass civilian casualties inflicted at the capital's international airport.

Yet intensifying airstrikes risks provoking further Houthi missile attacks in return.

The threat extends beyond oil facilities to airports, desalination plants and data centers, potentially undermining Saudi Arabia's ambitions to grow its investment, tourism and technology sectors.

CNN assessed that a ground offensive involving Yemeni government forces to defeat the Houthis has very little chance of success.

The Houthis have entrenched positions in Yemen's mountains and bring years of combat experience to bear.

Even a broader offensive using Yemeni government troops would be unlikely to neutralize the Houthis' strike capabilities in the short term.

External support also has its limits.

While Saudi Arabia could seek help from allies and pursue additional air-defense procurement, the United States itself is under strain — its weapons stockpiles and ammunition production stretched by the war with Iran.

President Donald Trump has not made clear whether he intends to strike the Houthis directly.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com