[Edaily Reporter Bang Sung Hoon ] The U.S. stands at a crossroads regarding whether to intervene directly in the war between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels. This comes after the Houthis, employing an “Iranian-style escalation” strategy—targeting critical economic infrastructure—launched four attacks on the airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, within a week, killing 18 people, including an American. U.S. President Donald Trump is weighing the possibility of intervention, stating, “We will review the situation.” Saudi Arabia, which has so far limited its involvement to providing air cover for Yemeni government forces, now faces the option of deploying ground troops.

◇U.S. at a Crossroads on Intervention… Saudi Arabia Faces Ground Troop Dilemma
According to CNN and other media outlets on the 11th (local time), when asked the previous day whether the U.S. would join Saudi Arabia’s airstrikes against the Houthis, President Trump replied, “It’s possible. We’ll look into it.” He also emphasized that a decision would be made quickly. Saudi Arabia is reported to have requested “emergency defensive support” from the U.S.

This comes in response to an attack on Riyadh Airport by Houthi missiles earlier that day, which killed 13 people—including one American—and injured more than 300. It marks Saudi Arabia’s worst disaster in over a decade. The airport was struck again later that day, killing one person and injuring 11 others.

As recently as last month, President Trump had twice rejected requests for airstrikes from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Instead of airstrikes, the U.S. has limited its support to sending over 100 military advisers to provide intelligence. This was due to depleted stockpiles of interceptor missiles following the war with Iran, as well as a desire to avoid escalation ahead of next month’s midterm elections. However, the loss of American lives has increased pressure for U.S. intervention.

Reuters and CNN viewed the Houthis’ escalation as an extension of the U.S.-Iran conflict. If the U.S. were to enter the conflict, it would effectively be stepping onto a “second front” in the war with Iran. Iran has, for now, positioned itself as a mediator. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the Saudi side that Iran is prepared to facilitate dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Even if the U.S. steps in, the odds of success remain uncertain. Stacey Petizon, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), said, “Unless the U.S. sends ground troops or significantly boosts the capabilities of the Yemeni government forces, it is highly unlikely that Saudi Arabia will be able to stop attacks that even the U.S. has been unable to prevent.”

Saudi Arabia faces a deep dilemma. CNN reported that it remains to be seen whether Saudi Arabia can continue to postpone the deployment of ground troops. Sending ground troops could plunge the country into a costly, protracted war and undermine the image of a “stable investment destination” that Crown Prince bin Salman has worked so hard to cultivate.

In a joint statement, Türkiye, Pakistan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia expressed their full support for Saudi Arabia’s response, calling the situation a “dangerous escalation that cannot be justified under any pretext.” Last week, Türkiye and Pakistan agreed to the “rapid deployment” of troops under their mutual defense treaty with Saudi Arabia. However, Türkiye ruled out sending troops or participating in offensive operations.

◇ Energy and Air Routes Take a Direct Hit from “Iran-Style Escalation”
Last month, the Houthis seized control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance to the Red Sea. Just as Iran had blocked the Strait of Hormuz, they have seized this maritime chokepoint. As a result, even the Red Sea—which had become the main route for Saudi crude oil exports following the Hormuz blockade—is now under threat.

The Houthis also claimed to have attacked Dammam Airport and two Aramco facilities. With attacks spreading across the region—including a ballistic missile aimed at Khamis Mushait that was intercepted—the Houthi Foreign Ministry warned, “If Saudi Arabia does not stop its aggression, worse things will happen.” CNN analyzed that this strategy, modeled after Iran’s war tactics against the U.S., targets infrastructure and imposes costs on the global economy.

Saudi Arabia has spent billions of dollars (trillions of won) to acquire Patriot interceptor missiles, which cost up to $5 million (approximately 6.7 billion won) each. However, the Houthis brought the capital’s airport to a standstill using only cheap, locally assembled drones and Iranian-designed missiles.

Nawad Al-Dawsari, a visiting researcher at the Middle East Institute (MEI), said, “The Houthis will only back down when faced with a credible threat,” adding, “So far, there has been no such threat.”

The fallout is spreading to the energy, investment, and aviation sectors. The CEOs of ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, and TotalEnergies have canceled their attendance at the World Petroleum Congress in Riyadh. Riyadh’s financial district has shifted to remote work. For Saudi Arabia, which is projected to experience a 3.6% contraction this year, these setbacks have compounded ahead of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) scheduled for the end of this month.

According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), more than 1,000 flights were canceled due to the attacks. Saudi airspace—one of the two major routes connecting Europe and Asia—has effectively been closed. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also issued a flight advisory for the skies over Saudi Arabia.