Saudi Arabia, struggling against Yemen's Houthi rebels, has made urgent requests to allied countries for interceptor missiles, according to reports. But no country appears willing to step forward. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, Riyadh's biggest ally, has been equally reluctant to provide military support, mindful of midterm elections now less than 50 days away. Instead, Trump plans to gather Middle Eastern leaders to discuss postwar arrangements even as the region grows more dangerous.
Saudi Arabia Sends Out an SOS
Saudi Arabia, whose interceptor missile stockpiles have been depleted by successive Houthi strikes, has urgently asked allies for support, the Associated Press reported on the 16th, local time. According to a source, Riyadh recently asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air defense assets to help fend off Houthi missile and drone attacks. The source said the additional requests came as stockpiles ran low not only in Saudi Arabia but also in the United States, its largest arms supplier. After six months of war between the United States and Iran, Washington has little capacity left to support the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude oil exporter, must simultaneously defend against Houthi attacks and secure safe shipping routes for its oil, but has found no clear solution on either front. As a result, the kingdom is exploring ways to rally international allies for a collective response, according to reports.
Neighboring countries have also stepped in as mediators. Oman is said to have hosted talks between U.S. and Houthi representatives over the weekend, and Turkey is discussing the matter with Iran and the United Arab Emirates, a Turkish government official told the AP.
The international response, however, has been tepid. The United States, Riyadh's largest ally, has drawn a line at the Saudi request for military support.
Trump rejected a Saudi request for U.S. forces to strike the Houthis directly during a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the 10th, according to reports. Asked by the AP whether Saudi Arabia had requested intervention, a Trump administration official said only that U.S. Central Command is running a task force to strengthen intelligence sharing with Saudi forces and to help them draw up operational plans.
A spokesperson for the British prime minister's office said Britain maintains a close defense partnership with Saudi Arabia but declined to comment on whether Riyadh had requested military support or whether British troops were in the country.
The Houthi offensive is also the first test of the Mecca joint defense pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan. But Pakistan, facing chronic economic difficulties and concerned about border friction with Iran, is reluctant to intervene in a Middle Eastern conflict, and analysts say Turkey is also unlikely to take the lead given its complex dynamics with Tehran. Turkish and Pakistani officials told the AP the same day that they had received no request for support from Saudi Arabia in connection with the escalating Houthi offensive.
Trump to Meet Gulf Leaders in New York — Will He Face Bin Salman?
Trump will host members of the Gulf Cooperation Council in New York on the 22nd, during the U.N. General Assembly, Axios reported, citing sources. The GCC comprises six countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. Because the invitations went to heads of state or foreign ministers, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may meet Trump in person in New York.
At the meeting, Trump and GCC leaders are expected to focus on U.S. plans for the Middle East after the war with Iran. Trump and his aides have reportedly been developing a strategy for managing Iran and the surrounding region once the fighting ends. The plan is expected to be finalized after the November midterm elections.
Saudi Pipeline Repair Timeline in Dispute
Still, the prevailing assessment is that the Middle East remains far from an end to hostilities. The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis is intensifying. The Houthis claimed the same day that they had shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Yemen's northeastern Marib province. The Wall Street Journal reported that Saudi Arabia also appears to have fired Chinese-made ballistic missiles at the Houthis. Houthi and Yemeni government officials said the same day that debris from a Chinese-made Dongfeng-15 ballistic missile had been found in Yemen and that Saudi Arabia had launched it.
Estimates also differ on when Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, damaged by drones launched from Iraq, will be restored. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright struck an optimistic note in a CNBC interview, saying the pipeline would be repaired within days. But the New York Times reported forecasts that repairs could take as long as six weeks. Maritime intelligence firm Kpler told the NYT that repairs could take five to six weeks, with partial restoration possible sooner. Reuters, citing three sources in the oil industry and security fields, said two pump stations connecting the pipeline had been damaged and that the repair timeline remains unclear.
While repairing the pipeline, Saudi Arabia is also pursuing ship-to-ship transfers as an alternative, moving crude from tanker to tanker in waters near Oman. Satellite tracking showed the kingdom had doubled loadings at its crude terminals to 4 million barrels.
