Urgent Need for Air Defense Firepower: Saudi Arabia Seeks Assistance from Multiple Sources

On the 19th, it was reported that as the Houthi armed group has recently intensified its attacks on Saudi Arabia, Saudi air defense interceptors are running low, prompting the country to seek assistance from Middle Eastern and Western allies. However, its key ally, the United States, currently shows no strong willingness to intervene.

At the same time, due to the continuous attacks by the Houthi armed group, the "Mecca Joint Defense Agreement" signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan will face practical implementation challenges.

Saudi Arabia in a Dilemma

On the evening of the 19th, the Houthi armed group announced two military operations targeting "sensitive sites" in the Saudi capital Riyadh and facilities of Saudi Aramco located in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu. The organization stated that it would continue to implement the policy of "blockade against blockade, escalation against escalation."

On the same day, several officials in the Middle East stated that Saudi Arabia has requested air defense support from France, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, and Egypt to help defend against missiles and drones launched by the Houthi armed group and other armed factions. One official mentioned that the reason for seeking assistance from these countries is that Saudi Arabia's main ally and arms supplier, the United States, is preoccupied with its own issues, and its stockpile of interceptors has significantly decreased due to the conflict with Iran.

One official stated that Saudi Arabia is currently in a "very difficult situation," needing to protect not only military bases and important government facilities but also oil facilities across the country. Additionally, on the 19th, it was reported that to avoid a disruption in oil supply, Saudi Arabia, one of the world's largest oil exporters, even unusually requested support from Israel, a country with which it has not yet established diplomatic relations.

Analysts believe that despite the U.S. selling billions of dollars in weapons to Saudi Arabia and promising other support, some senior U.S. officials' previous statements regarding the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi armed group indicate a lack of strong willingness from the U.S. to intervene in the conflict. When asked whether Saudi Arabia had requested U.S. intervention, a U.S. official stated on the 19th that the U.S. Central Command has a working group "to enhance intelligence sharing and planning support with Saudi forces."

Commitments Await Implementation

Analysts believe that as the Houthi armed group continues to strike Saudi targets, the "Mecca Joint Defense Agreement," signed in August, will face a test. The agreement stipulates that any armed attack on any of the three countries—Saudi Arabia, Turkey, or Pakistan—will be regarded as an attack on all three.

As of the 19th, both Pakistan and Turkey have expressed support for Saudi Arabia, but have not yet proposed specific military support plans.

On the 17th, a spokesperson for the Pakistani military, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, stated that Pakistan will "support Saudi Arabia diplomatically and through substantive actions," and "will spare no effort" to defend Saudi security. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also stated on the 19th that in response to the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, Turkey will honor its commitments under the "Mecca Joint Defense Agreement" and may provide military technical assistance to Saudi Arabia.

Analysts point out that there are many obstacles to the current implementation of the "Mecca Joint Defense Agreement." First, the agreement still awaits formal approval from the three countries, which means that its provisions do not yet have legal binding force; second, the military capabilities and strategic interests of the three countries differ, making the effectiveness of their cooperation uncertain. Currently, it remains to be seen whether the three countries can translate political commitments into actual military coordination.

On the 19th, the U.S. State Department updated its travel warning, stating that the "military conflict between the Iran-backed Houthi armed group and Saudi Arabia may escalate rapidly." Israeli analysts noted that the current situation makes it difficult for Saudi Arabia to separate the Yemen issue from the conflict with Iran.

However, Çavuşoğlu emphasized on the 19th that for Saudi Arabia, becoming part of the conflict between the U.S. and Iran is "unacceptable," as Saudi Arabia does not wish to be drawn into this war.