How are Yemen's Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia so effectively?
News Source
β’Fri, 16 Oct 2026 23:59:53 +0000
π° What Happened
Houthi fighters have hit Saudi Arabia's main airport in Riyadh and the headquarters of Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company. The attacks show how exposed Saudi Arabia is to its neighbour. They also damage its image as a safe place to invest.
Experts say several things came together. Iran has helped the Houthis build and launch better weapons, and the group can now make much of what it fires. At the same time, the US and its allies have used up stocks of defence missiles.
π The Backstory
The Houthis have fought a Saudi-led coalition since 2015. For years their attacks were crude and short-range. That has changed as their skills and supplies improved.
The US war on Iran has used up interceptor missiles that Gulf states rely on. Air defences are stretched, so more missiles get through.
Saudi Arabia is trying to attract foreign money and move away from oil, which makes every strike on its cities and oil sites a serious economic problem.
π― Why It Matters
Attacks on Saudi oil and airports can push up fuel prices and unsettle global markets, which eventually reaches Australian petrol bowsers.
Houthi fighters have hit Saudi Arabia's main airport in Riyadh and the headquarters of Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company. The attacks show how exposed Saudi Arabia is to its neighbour. They also damage its image as a safe place to invest.
Experts say several things came together. Iran has helped the Houthis build and launch better weapons, and the group can now make much of what it fires. At the same time, the US and its allies have used up stocks of defence missiles.
The Houthis have fought a Saudi-led coalition since 2015. For years their attacks were crude and short-range. That has changed as their skills and supplies improved.
The US war on Iran has used up interceptor missiles that Gulf states rely on. Air defences are stretched, so more missiles get through.
Saudi Arabia is trying to attract foreign money and move away from oil, which makes every strike on its cities and oil sites a serious economic problem.
Attacks on Saudi oil and airports can push up fuel prices and unsettle global markets, which eventually reaches Australian petrol bowsers.