The Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are demonstrating the limits of the kingdom’s military prowess — despite defense spending that far outstrips that of its regional neighbors.
Missiles and drones fired by the Iran-backed group from Yemen have wreaked havoc in Saudi Arabia in recent days, killing at least 18 people and forcing the closure of the country’s main international airport in Riyadh.
The Houthis are showing no sign of scaling back their campaign, targeting several Saudi Arabian cities in an assault this week that’s continued into Thursday.
Bloomberg 15 October 2026
What do the Houthis want?
Abdulmalik al-Houthi saying that Riyadh’s ties with Washington — and by extension Israel — made it an unworthy custodian of Mecca, suggesting Yemenis would be better placed to guard Islam’s holiest city.
“We are also the most devoted to Mecca and the Ka’bah, and the ones most entitled to support and defend them, rather than the treacherous, proxy Saudi regime,” he said.
Concentrated in northern Yemen, the Houthis follow a radical brand of the Zaydi offshoot of Shia Islam, tracing their origins back to the imams who ruled Yemen for centuries. FT 16 October 2026
Jemen anslöt sig 628 till profeten Muhammeds lära och folket anammade fort islam. Inom Kalifatet blev Jemen dock en randstat. Detta gynnade uppkomsten av flera regerande dynastier på 800-talet varav den mest betydelsefulla var shiaislamiska zayditerna vilka skulle härska i norra Jemen ända till 1962.
När tyngdpunkten av handelsvägen mellan Medelhavet och Indien på 800-talet försköts från Irak till Egypten började också i Jemen det ekonomiska uppsvinget. Sin glanstid upplevde landet under rasuliderna ända in på 1400-talet.
Omans historia sträcker minst tillbaka till 2000-talet f.Kr.
Under Said ibn Sultans styre 1806–1856 var Oman som störst. Då omfattade sultanatet förutom kustlandet Oman även östafrikanska kusten från ekvatorn till nuvarande Tanzanias södra del med därutanför liggande öar, bland dem Zanzibar som blev centrum för kryddodling och slavhandel.
Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Raise Risk of Wider War
Why the Houthis Are So Hard to Defeat
Bloomberg 12 October 2026
Saudi Arabia intercepted ballistic missiles launched by Yemen's Houthis, targeting Riyadh
and Khamis Mushait. Här ligger King Khalid Air Base, vilket gör staden strategiskt viktig och till ett återkommande mål för huthirörelsens attacker från Jemen.
The attacks pose a challenge to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's efforts to transform the kingdom's economy, with recent strikes suspending operations at Riyadh's main airport.
The US is assisting Riyadh with intelligence and aerial refueling, and US President Donald Trump said he is considering joining in the fight against the Iran-backed militant group.
Bloomberg 13 October 2026
At Least 12 Killed, Hundreds Injured at Saudi Airport in Houthi Strikes
Direct hits on two Riyadh airport terminals by Iran-backed militants were deadliest attack in kingdom in more than a decade; military vows response.
Wall Street Journal 10 October 2026
Al-Houthi presides over a militant group that’s taken over swathes of Yemen, often brutally suppressing the people under its control.
The Houthis’ reach extends far beyond the country as they disrupt global trade, rattle energy markets and fire missiles at Saudi Arabia, whose allied forces on the ground are leading a coalition that vowed at the weekend to eliminate them.
Bloomberg 7 October 2026
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-10-07/reclusive-houthi-leader-wreaks-havoc-from-his-yemen-stronghold
How the Houthis Triumphed on the Red Sea and Sparked a New War in Yemen
In a single night, an Iran-allied militia trounced Saudi-backed forces to take control of Yemen’s Red Sea coast. No one was able, or willing, to stop them.
Who are the Houthi rebels and why are they attacking Red Sea ships? BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67614911
The US and its allies have been trying to stop the Houthis but their attacks on ships continue
https://englundmacro.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-us-and-its-allies-have-been-trying.html
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