In an effort to curb U.S military operations against Yemen’s Houthis, Saudi Arabia has set restrictions on the usage of its territory and airspace by American forces, an unnamed defense official from the U.S told media outlet Sky News Arabia. As part of the restrictions set forth, the defense official stated, U.S military aircraft are only permitted to refuel at designated military airbases within Saudi Arabia, and U.S missile defense systems located in the kingdom are not to be employed against the Houthis.
Saudi authorities have yet to make a statement addressing these comments. Historically speaking, since the inception of conflicts in the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia has been noticeably absent from the U.S-led coalition focused on combatting the Houthis.
Adding to this, the official disclosed information on U.S efforts to enhance their defensive capabilities in Socotra, taking into account potential Houthi aggression against American bases in the region. This coincides with ongoing Houthi attacks on naval vessels under the flags of Israel, the U.S, and the UK. The ultimate objective here, according to the official, is “to counter any long-range missile threats the Houthis may pose.”
Since November, the Pentagon reported the Houthis orchestrating around 50 attacks. Aligned to the conflict in the Gaza Strip, these began as Houthi attacks on vessels associated with Israeli interests.
The New Year brought about heightened tensions in the Red Sea region, as both U.S and the UK launched strikes on Houthi establishments, a move that led to the inclusion of U.S and British vessels among Houthi target lists.
The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, ongoing since 2015, found itself at a juncture of negotiation in 2023. Despite talks to dissolve the hostility, this new rumored involvement of Saudi Arabia in a U.S-led operation against the Houthis could potentially rip open old contention, subsequently throwing the region back into the throes of battle.
