Why Saudi Arabia's $83 Billion Military Is Struggling Against Houthis

Saudi Arabia has come under multiple "targeted" attacks claimed by Iran-backed Houthi rebels over the weekend, including a spate of deadly attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The deadliest attack on the oil-rich kingdom in more than a decade struck the country's main airport on Saturday, killing 12 people and wounding more than 300, and forcing diplomatic missions to warn their citizens to avoid the facility.

The escalation comes after a truce agreed between Iran-backed Houthi rebels --who control around one-third of Yemen's territory, where about 70 to 80 per cent of the country's population live -- and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government unravelled earlier this year, with Saudi Arabia stepping up its military involvement in Yemen. 

The kingdom launched strikes against the Houthis and is backing a government counteroffensive after the Houthis seized strategic territory along the Red Sea coast last month. Houthis have retaliated by targeting critical oil and tourism infrastructure of the kingdom.

But the Houthis' mounting counter-strikes on the kingdom have exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi's billion-dollar defence capabilities. 

The oil-rich kingdom's reputation for stability and security has also been damaged by the repeated missile and drone strikes. Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has spent billions of dollars to establish the kingdom as the region's safest destination for investment and business, as it works to diversify its economy and reduce its dependence on oil.
Saudi vs Houthi Military Capabilities

Saudi Arabia possesses one of the best-equipped militaries in the world. Riyadh spent about 6.5 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP), worth about $83 billion, on its defence spending in 2025, constituting the world's eighth-largest military spending. 

The kingdom, which has recently signed a defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan, has limited military-industrial capacity and has therefore spent heavily on imported cutting-edge weaponry. Major weapons purchases from Western manufacturers -- including American, British and French companies -- have become a defining feature of Saudi defence policy and a diplomatic strategy to curry favour with allies. It has flashy military hardware, such as F-15 fighter jets, Eurofighter Typhoons, Patriot and THAAD missile systems, among other state-of-the-art gear. 

Riyadh's advanced warplanes have pounded Houthi positions across Yemen in the past week, seeking to roll back the Iran-backed group's recent advances against the Yemeni government army.

However, the Iran-backed group has significantly improved its arsenal since the rebels took control of the capital Sanaa from the government in 2014. Houthis have demonstrated that their drones and missiles can reach as far as Israel, some 2,000 km from Yemen, and can hit specific targets such as Saudi airports and oil facilities.

 

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