Why Saudi Arabia Cannot Defeat the Houthis Despite Military Might

Why Saudi Arabia’s Military Arsenal Fails to Stop Houthi Strikes

Despite spending billions on sophisticated weaponry and military kit from American, British, and French manufacturers—including a recent United States approval for a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth warplanes—the Saudi armed forces struggle on the battlefield. Princeton University Saudi expert Bernard Haykel noted during an online discussion that the kingdom has historically relied on foreign personnel, contractors, and trainers.

“The Saudis have to build a military that’s willing to fight and a population that’s willing to die to preserve what they have,” Haykel said, adding that current conditions fall short of that goal. Middle East scholar Ray Takeyh testified to a congressional hearing in 2015 that the kingdom purposely keeps its military forces small and fragmented to prevent a putsch in a region prone to coups.

How the Houthis Built a Resilient Fighting Force

Initially operating as a lightly armed movement, the Houthis leverage rugged terrain and tribal bonds to maintain formidable defenses. University of Ottawa Iran and Yemen expert Thomas Juneau told AFP that the group has amassed advanced missiles and drones with Iranian backing while maintaining internal unity. “The Houthis have been able to build a united front,” Juneau said. “They have a very centralised government that exercises a strong command and control over what initially were the disparate forces that they put together.”

Since 2023, the group has disrupted Red Sea shipping by targeting vessels accused of links to Israel following the outbreak of the Gaza war. While repeated United States, British, and Israeli strikes throughout 2024 and 2025 have degraded Houthi military infrastructure, those operations have failed to neutralize the group’s missile and drone capabilities.

The Collapse of the Yemeni Government and the Saudi-UAE Rift

Saudi Arabia entered the Yemen conflict in 2015 alongside the United Arab Emirates to bolster the internationally recognized government after the Houthis chased it from the capital Sanaa in 2014. However, alliance fractures have undermined coalition operations. In December, UAE-backed forces briefly seized control of all government areas in Aden, provoking fury from Riyadh and triggering an ongoing rift that led the UAE to withdraw its forces and equipment—including helicopter gunships—from areas near the Red Sea coast.

The Saudis proved unable to fill the vacuum left by the UAE’s departure. Middle East expert Michael Knights told AFP that “a heavy hit and a weak coordination relationship with the Yemeni forces is what created this collapse.” A 2022 ceasefire broke down in July when the Houthis welcomed an Iranian plane directly to Sanaa in defiance of the kingdom. The group subsequently imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, struck oil facilities, and seized the Red Sea coast overlooking Bab al-Mandab before targeting Riyadh directly.

On-the-Ground Realities for Yemeni Government Forces

While the Houthis continue fighting government forces, ground troops face severe logistical hurdles and low morale. A fighter stationed in the southern province of Lahj told AFP that forces “were suffering from shortages of weapons and ammunition as well as delays in salary payments.” Although reinforcements and equipment arrived recently, the soldier noted, “it’s still not enough.” US media reports indicate that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has repeatedly asked President Donald Trump for assistance in halting the Houthis, though no direct intervention has materialized so far.

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