Saudi Arabia’s struggle to contain escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement is triggering a wider debate about the kingdom’s long‑standing security strategy. According to West Asia analyst Prof. Alvite Ningthoujam, the recent wave of Houthi strikes has highlighted the shortcomings of Saudi Arabia’s decades‑old practice of relying on external partners for its national defence rather than building fully independent deterrence capabilities.
For much of the modern era, Saudi Arabia has depended heavily on the United States as its primary security guarantor. American military personnel, advanced fighter aircraft and defence systems stationed in the kingdom have long served as a cornerstone of Saudi security planning. Alongside Washington, Pakistan has also played a major role in Riyadh’s defence architecture for decades.
Pakistan’s military relationship with Saudi Arabia stretches back to the 1960s. Pakistani military personnel have trained Saudi forces, advised defence institutions, and participated in security cooperation agreements over several decades. The relationship deepened further in recent years through a formal defence understanding and later the Mecca Agreement, designed to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries.
However, critics argue that the current crisis reveals the limits of this approach. Despite extensive partnerships, Saudi Arabia has struggled to deter Houthi attacks or bring them to a decisive halt. Analysts note that external guarantees are only effective if partners are willing and able to intervene during a crisis.
The debate intensified after reports that neither the United States nor Pakistan took significant direct action during recent phases of the conflict. Critics claim this has raised questions within the kingdom about the effectiveness of outsourcing national security to foreign allies.
Supporters of Saudi policy counter that partnerships with major allies remain essential in an increasingly complex regional environment and that no country can address every security challenge alone.
As tensions continue across West Asia, the kingdom faces a strategic dilemma: whether to deepen reliance on traditional security partners or invest further in independent military capabilities. The outcome could shape Saudi Arabia’s defence posture for years to come.