Yemen’s Houthis are bringing their war to Saudi Arabia – and reframing the narrative of being an Iranian proxy

An Oct. 10 Houthi strike on Riyadh's international airport killed 13 people and injured hundreds, the deadliest attack on Saudi soil since the Iran war began in February, followed by further missile barrages.

The piece argues the Houthis are deliberately recasting their campaign as a fight against longtime adversary Saudi Arabia rather than as an Iranian proxy operation, since acting on Tehran's behalf is a harder sell to a Sunni Arab base than defending Palestinians was.

A key episode cited is the Houthis' summer attempt to reopen Sanaa airport via a Tehran-bound flight, followed by a Saudi strike on the runway in July that reignited the confrontation after years of de facto ceasefire.

The analysis frames current tit-for-tat strikes as a mirror of Saudi Arabia's 2015 bombing campaign and blockade, now with the Houthis claiming the same right to reciprocal restrictions.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.