Saudi Arabia turns to allies as missile interceptors run low

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has approached several regional and Western countries for air-defence assistance as it faces a shortage of missile interceptors amid escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, according to two regional officials cited by the Associated Press.

Riyadh has sought support from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to help defend against missiles and drones launched by the Houthis and other Iran-backed groups.

The request comes as the United States, Saudi Arabia’s main military ally and arms supplier, faces its own shortage of missile interceptors after months of fighting with Iran, one of the officials said.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly. Saudi authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The latest tensions have raised concerns over the security of Makkah after Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed a booby-trapped drone south of the holy city on Tuesday evening, September 15.

The drone was destroyed before entering the restricted airspace around Makkah, while a potential danger alert issued for the city was linked to the same threat.

The Houthis denied targeting Makkah. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement on X on Wednesday that there was “no threat whatsoever from Yemen to the holy sites”.

Saree said Houthi operations were directed at Saudi oil facilities and military positions away from the Islamic holy sites.

He also claimed that Houthi forces had shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Yemen’s Marib Governorate using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile. He said Houthi forces had confronted Saudi F-15 and Typhoon fighter formations in the area.

The confrontation with the Houthis has added to the security pressures facing Saudi Arabia amid the wider regional conflict involving Iran.

Riyadh must protect military bases, government facilities and oil infrastructure spread across the kingdom while maintaining the security of its territory.

One regional official described Saudi Arabia’s position as “very difficult”.

The kingdom’s energy infrastructure has already faced disruption. A major pipeline was reportedly shut down for weeks following an attack attributed to Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.

The Houthis have also targeted Saudi infrastructure and shipping in the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia is seeking a wider international response to the Houthi attacks, although diplomatic efforts are also continuing.

Oman and Egypt are leading efforts to reduce tensions in Yemen. Oman hosted discussions between US and Houthi representatives last weekend, according to people familiar with the meeting.

Adam Baron, a fellow at Washington-based think tank New America, said the confrontation had implications beyond Saudi Arabia and the Houthis because of its potential impact on international shipping.

“This is just not a Houthis versus Saudi Arabia issue,” Baron said. “This is a matter of figuring out some way to guarantee wider patterns and pathways of international shipping.”

Britain has confirmed that it maintains a “close defence partnership” with Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister’s spokesman Tom Wells declined to say whether Riyadh had formally requested British military assistance or whether British troops were stationed in the kingdom.

US and NATO officials have previously acknowledged shortages of missile interceptors in Europe, potentially limiting the ability of European countries to provide additional support.

The escalation is also testing a new defence relationship involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan.

Officials from Turkey and Pakistan told AP they had not received a Saudi request for military support in response to the Houthi attacks.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia following the reported drone incident near Makkah, saying the two countries stood “unwaveringly, shoulder to shoulder”.

Turkey’s foreign minister also voiced support for Saudi Arabia, saying no country could “remain indifferent”, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.

The United States has supplied Saudi Arabia with billions of dollars in weapons but has signalled that it does not want to become directly involved in the latest fighting.

US Vice President JD Vance said Washington remained in contact with Saudi officials and had spoken directly with the Houthis.

A US official said Central Command had a task force supporting intelligence sharing and planning with Saudi forces.

The US military also hosted senior military leaders from eight countries in Germany last week to discuss security cooperation in the Middle East.

The Houthis separately claimed that they had shot down a Saudi F-15 over Marib. Houthi media channels released footage showing what the group described as the aircraft’s wreckage.

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