Bin Salman's dreams under Yemeni missiles

The increase in Ansarullah's military power and Saudi Arabia's inability to contain the attacks of this movement have faced a serious threat to the economic dreams of Mohammed bin Salman and have caught Riyadh between a costly war and a difficult agreement.

According to Ambassador Arjan, American Atlantic in a report written by Robert F. Worth writes that the increase in the military power of Yemen's Ansarullah has faced a serious threat to Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman's plans to turn the country into a hub for tourism, technology and investment. The attack on the Riyadh airport showed that the Ansarullah threat is not limited to the borders of Saudi Arabia and can also target the security of the capital and the vital infrastructure of this country. According to the Atlantic, Riyadh is now facing a difficult dilemma: either it must engage in a costly war to push back Ansarullah, or accept an agreement that may leave the movement in control of a major part of Yemen. The attack on the Riyadh airport and the revelation of Saudi Arabia's vulnerability. In recent years, the Saudi crown prince has tried to turn his country into an important destination for tourism and investment in the field of technology, and he has communicated with the managers of artificial intelligence companies and technology industry activists. However, Ansarullah's missile attack on two terminals at Riyadh's main airport has questioned the image of Saudi Arabia as a safe and stable country. This attack, which took place on Saturday, killed 13 people and injured hundreds of people. The fire and smoke in the airport halls and the falling parts of the roof due to the attack terrified the passengers.

The importance of this attack, in the author's assessment, is that Ansarullah has apparently been able to pass through the Saudi air defense systems by firing coordinated waves of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles; This is in a situation where the reserves of interceptor missiles in this country are decreasing. Such attacks show that the possession of advanced defense systems cannot necessarily guarantee the security of Saudi Arabia's vital infrastructure, especially if the attacker uses a combination of weapons and coordinated attacks. The writer quotes one of his friends in Riyadh and writes that people were greatly surprised by the occurrence of such an attack in the capital and did not imagine that such an event would happen to their country. He also mentions the situation in which the ruler of Saudi Arabia has to go back and forth between palaces equipped with underground shelters; An image that contrasts with Riyadh's efforts to present the country as a safe destination for investors and tourists.

Ansarullah and the limitation of Saudi military power

According to the Atlantic, the increasing power of Ansarullah has put Bin Salman's economic and social programs in jeopardy. The realization of these plans requires a stable environment; An environment where foreign investors can operate with confidence and tourists also consider Saudi Arabia a safe destination. If missile and drone attacks on airports and other important infrastructure become a continuous situation, these goals will be more difficult to achieve than in the past. Riyadh's problem is not only the vulnerability of its infrastructure, but also related to the limitation of its military options. It seems that there is no third diplomatic solution. According to him, Saudi Arabia should either try to push Ansarullah back militarily or accept an agreement that effectively leaves control of Yemen in the hands of this movement. The experience of the past decade has also shown that airstrikes alone are not enough to defeat Ansarallah. This movement has survived several bombing campaigns; including the seven-week US air war last year. According to the Atlantic, only a broad and continuous ground operation can make real progress in pushing back Ansarullah, but Saudi Arabia does not have the ground forces suitable for such a mission. Riyadh relies on the armed forces in southern Yemen, but these forces suffer from chronic divisions and factions and do not have the power to recapture the areas controlled by Ansarallah.

As a result, despite having wider financial and weapon resources, Saudi Arabia is dependent on a local force that does not have sufficient cohesion and operational power to achieve its military goals. To compensate for its military limitations, Saudi Arabia seeks to form a wider coalition against Ansarullah. According to the Atlantic, Riyadh has talked with the leaders of Syria, Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey, but these countries have not shown their desire to enter into a war with the aim of recapturing northern Yemen. This caution is largely rooted in historical experiences. Türkiye suffered heavy defeats in Yemen in the 17th and 19th centuries. Egypt also got involved in Yemen's civil war in the 1960s; A war of attrition that has been referred to as the "Vietnam of Egypt". Such experiences show that military intervention in Yemen can turn into a long and costly war. According to Atlantic's assessment, the countries targeted by Saudi Arabia may help to defend its borders in the event of a large-scale ground attack on this country's territory; But they are not willing to enter into a war to recapture northern Yemen. Therefore, Riyadh cannot be sure that the effort to form a regional coalition will provide the ground force necessary to defeat Ansarullah.