Former U.S. envoy warns Saudi Arabia of mounting Houthi threat and limited U.S. support

In a recent interview, Michael Ratney, who served as U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia under the Biden administration and now advises the Center for Strategic and International Studies, described how a tentative truce with Yemen’s Houthis dissolved in July, leading to a rapid escalation of hostilities. Iranian support has enabled the Houthis to capture coastal positions at Bab al-Mandab, threatening oil shipments and Saudi energy infrastructure.

Although Saudi Arabia relies heavily on U.S.-supplied air-defense systems such as Patriot missiles, these assets are spread thin and struggle against the Houthis’ asymmetric tactics. Ratney recounted the heightened tension in Saudi Arabia following a fatal airport attack and noted that while the United States is sharing intelligence, it has hesitated to conduct direct airstrikes, leaving Riyadh to conduct its own intensive bombing campaign. He warned that without a diplomatic breakthrough, the conflict could further destabilize regional energy markets and Saudi domestic stability.