Why billions spent on defense haven’t shielded Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks

Saudi Arabia spends tens of billions of dollars on defense every year, but is struggling to protect key assets such as airports, refineries and pipelines from missiles and drones fired by Houthi militants from Yemen.

Despite acquiring state-of-the-art weapons systems from the United States and Europe and possessing multi-layered air defenses, the kingdom has seen deadly attacks on the main airport serving the capital, Riyadh, over the past week.

Saudi Arabia spent $83 billion on defense last year, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, putting it firmly among the top ten military spenders worldwide. It has acquired US fighter jets as well as Patriot and THAAD air defense systems, and a range of advanced weaponry from France and the United Kingdom.

From the east, Iran fired about 1,000 missiles and drones at Saudi targets during the most intense part of the conflict this year. From the north, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have sent drones to attack the country’s critical East-West oil pipeline. And from the south, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels fire missiles at the kingdom from shelters and mobile launchers in the mountains of Yemen.

From the east, Iran fired about 1,000 missiles and drones at Saudi targets during the most intense part of the conflict this year. From the north, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have sent drones to attack the country’s critical East-West oil pipeline. And from the south, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels fire missiles at the kingdom from shelters and mobile launchers in the mountains of Yemen.

The Saudis are intercepting many of the missiles and drones fired by the Houthis. But some get through. The defense ministry faces difficult choices in distributing the existing systems with so many installations vulnerable to attack, according to a Saudi source.

Houthi capabilities

The Houthis have learned to combine ballistic and cruise missiles with long-range drones to overwhelm Saudi defenses. The approach resembles Russia’s playbook: Moscow has frequently used a mass of drones along with cruise and ballistic missiles in barrages against Ukraine.