How the Houthis are helping Iran turn Saudi Arabia into a pressure point
USO•Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure and investment events are intended to pressure Riyadh over Yemen and push Washington to ease its blockade on Iran, sources said. Strikes hit Riyadh’s airport and Saudi Aramco, disrupted oil and investment conferences, and raised concerns about a wider Gulf conflict.
1. Pressure on Riyadh
The Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia aim to pressure Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to meet Houthi demands in Yemen and persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to ease the U.S. blockade on Iran, according to Saudi, Iranian and regional sources. A senior Iranian official said the attacks would continue unless Saudi restrictions were lifted. Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam denied the group was acting at Iran’s behest and said its demands concerned humanitarian issues, including lifting restrictions on Yemeni ports and airports and paying civil servants’ salaries.
2. Attacks disrupt events
Over the past week, Houthi attacks included deadly strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and a strike on Saudi Aramco that sparked a fire across several floors. The attacks disrupted Riyadh’s flagship oil conference, prompting top executives to withdraw, and led organizers of the Future Investment Initiative to offer remote participation. In 2019, attacks on Aramco facilities temporarily disrupted about 5% of global oil supply.
3. Risks for Saudi Arabia
Analysts and sources warned that escalation could undermine Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda, investor confidence and security, while concessions could strengthen the Houthis. The conflict has also derailed a 2023 Saudi-backed peace roadmap that offered the Houthis a path to political legitimacy and reconstruction funding. Analysts warned that the fighting could widen into a broader Gulf conflict.
