Saudi Arabia has one of the world’s most expensive and sophisticated arsenals, filled with American warplanes, missile defenses and other cutting-edge technology. But in recent days it has appeared helpless in the face of barrages of missiles and drones fired by the Houthi rebel group from neighboring Yemen. The attacks have struck Saudi airports, killed at least 14 people and forced schoolchildren and businesspeople to stay indoors and work from home.
The Iran-backed Houthis, once seen as little more than a ragtag militia, have grown into a formidable fighting force. They have inflicted damage on the region’s top oil producer, threatened critical supply routes in the Red Sea and now risk reigniting a full-scale war on the Arabian Peninsula that displaced millions and killed tens of thousands. The Houthis are attacking Saudi Arabia because it supports government forces in Yemen the rebels seek to overthrow.
As Saudi Arabia investigates how its air defenses failed to stop the Houthis’ attacks, it must also consider how to respond and what the rebels might do next. Here’s what we know and don’t know about the Saudi and Houthi conflict: Saudi Arabia is the world’s top purchaser of American weapons, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. It says the Saudis received 12% of all U.S. arms exports from 2021-2025.
Over the years, the Saudis have purchased American F-15 warplanes, Patriot air defense systems, as well as advanced radars and offensive missile systems, according to the think tank, which tracks global arms transfers. Saudi Arabia’s annual budget for 2026 listed $83 billion for military expenditures. Earlier this year, it struck a $9 billion deal with Washington for 730 Patriot missiles.
The Houthis have been able to exploit Saudi Arabia’s large size. Vulnerable energy, civilian and military assets are scattered across the country’s sparsely populated territory roughly three times the size of Texas. Its border with Yemen stretches more than 800 miles through rugged desert areas.
No defense can guarantee complete protection,” Ali Shihabi, a Saudi analyst, said in a post online Monday. At the same time, regional officials say that Saudi Arabia is running low on interceptors and has reached out to allies for help. Saudi Arabia recently struck a joint defense pact with Pakistan and Turkey.
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