RismadarVoice Reporters
September 13, 2026
Saudi Arabia is facing increasingly difficult choices over how to respond to the rapid territorial gains of Yemen’s Houthi rebels and a series of attacks linked to the wider regional conflict.
The Iran-backed group has expanded its control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the strategic Perim Island and the port town of Mocha, bringing it closer to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s major maritime routes.
The developments have increased pressure on Riyadh to respond militarily, although analysts warn that a large-scale intervention could draw Saudi Arabia into another prolonged conflict in Yemen.
Mohammed Al-Basha, a Yemen expert and risk adviser, said the likelihood of a major Saudi response was increasing, arguing that Riyadh had limited options as the Houthis continued their advance.
Saudi Arabia has previously led a military campaign against the Houthis after the rebels seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and forced the internationally recognised government into exile.
Despite its military superiority, Riyadh struggled to defeat the rebels, who developed sophisticated tactics involving drones and missiles.
The latest escalation comes after attacks also targeted Saudi infrastructure. The kingdom’s East-West oil pipeline was reportedly hit by drones launched from Iraq, although no group has claimed responsibility.
The pipeline has become increasingly important to Saudi Arabia after disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz forced the kingdom to rely more heavily on alternative routes for exporting crude oil.
Saudi officials had previously warned of the possibility of coordinated attacks involving Iraqi armed groups and the Houthis.
Analysts say one option available to Riyadh is to launch a major military campaign against the Houthis, but such an approach could have serious consequences.
Cinzia Bianco, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said an attempt by Saudi Arabia to use overwhelming force could develop into another prolonged war similar to the previous Yemen conflict.
Such an escalation could also widen the conflict beyond Yemen and draw Iran further into confrontation with Saudi Arabia and its allies.
The situation is particularly sensitive because the United States is already involved in a broader confrontation with Iran.
Although Washington has provided intelligence support to Saudi Arabia, US officials have reportedly resisted calls for direct military action against the Houthis.
President Donald Trump has also indicated that the Houthis had communicated with his administration and expressed a preference for keeping the United States out of the conflict.
A negotiated settlement remains another possible route, but analysts say Riyadh may have fewer diplomatic options following the Houthis’ recent territorial gains.
Saudi Arabia has spent months exercising what analysts described as strategic restraint, issuing warnings to the Houthis and Iran while avoiding a direct military escalation.
Following the attack on its oil pipeline, Riyadh said it had initially chosen not to retaliate and would support efforts by the Iraqi government to address attacks launched from its territory.
However, the Saudi government reserved the right to take measures it considers necessary to protect the kingdom’s sovereignty.
Some analysts argue that continued Houthi advances could eventually leave Saudi Arabia with little choice but to respond militarily.
Salman Al-Ansari, a Saudi geopolitical analyst, said military operations involving forces backed by Riyadh were already underway and could intensify significantly.
He, however, argued that Saudi Arabia would be unlikely to launch an all-out war without sustained international backing.
The Houthis, meanwhile, have maintained that their campaign will continue until what they describe as the Saudi blockade of northern Yemen is lifted.
With the rebels expanding their presence around the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, any major Saudi response could have consequences far beyond Yemen, potentially affecting regional security, oil supplies and global shipping.
