Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s miscalculations have pulled Riyadh back into the Yemen war after Houthi drone attacks hit Saudi cities this week, killing three people.
The fallout with the United Arab Emirates began when Saudi warplanes destroyed a shipment of military vehicles destined for the Southern Transitional Council, a move that ended the two‑nation partnership and left Riyadh to shoulder the burden alone.
Saudi forces were caught off guard by a fresh Houthi offensive that included missile strikes and drone attacks on major oil facilities and airports, a failure of preparation that left three pilots dead and exposed the kingdom’s supply lines.
The United States, which signed a new defense pact with Saudi Arabia last year, has shown a lukewarm response to Riyadh’s pleas, with President Donald Trump refusing to strike the Houthis and instead holding talks with them in Oman.
In the wake of these setbacks, Crown Prince Mohammed travelled to Egypt last month to meet President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi, and he has since invited UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed to Riyadh to hash out a regional strategy, while France and Britain have pledged defense assets.
The next step for Saudi Arabia will be a high‑level meeting with the UAE Vice President next month to negotiate a new ceasefire framework and coordinate future defense cooperation.