فرانك غاردنر

Saudi Arabia has tried to stay out of the expanding US-Iran conflict, but attacks from Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Yemen are increasingly threatening its territory, airports, oil facilities and Red Sea shipping. After years of conflict with the Houthis and a fragile 2022 truce, Riyadh has joined the United States in strikes against Iraqi militias linked to drone attacks. The kingdom now faces a choice between further military retaliation to restore deterrence and de-escalation measures, potentially including financial support to adversaries. The crisis also threatens Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 agenda, foreign investment plans and the country’s ability to export energy if routes through the Strait of Hormuz or Bab el-Mandeb remain unsafe.