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ConflictsSaudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia on the backfoot in the war against the Houthis

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Anja Kueppers-McKinnon
October 12, 2026

The recent strikes on a Saudi airport were the deadliest attacks in a Gulf Arab country since the US-Israeli war with Iran began in February and are a dramatic escalation of the war between the kingdom and the Houthis.

Following three deadly Houthi attacks on an airport in the Saudi capital, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman faces mounting pressure to stop the Iran-backed militia's missile and drone strikes. But Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler has few options. The Houthis are an increasingly powerful adversary and their attacks are threatening his ambitions to transform the Kingdom into a global hub for business and tourism.

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