What happened
The Houthi rebels have been launching deadly missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, including a recent attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that killed 17 and injured 333 others. The group's sophisticated weapons and targeting capabilities have transformed them from a regional insurgency into an international security threat.
A former US envoy, Tim Lenderking, warns that the Houthis are now capable of hitting targets hundreds of miles away, including critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, such as energy facilities, pipelines, and desalination plants. The group's self-sufficiency extends to financing, with revenue generated through black-market oil sales, taxation, and extortion.
The Houthis have also developed extensive weapons supply chains, smuggling networks, and domestic financing operations, allowing them to sustain attacks without relying solely on Iran. The group's expanding arsenal has raised concerns about potential Chinese involvement in their weapons supply networks.
