Why Saudi Arabia failed to defeat the Houthis – and could now be dragged back into war - opinion
Riyadh must recognize that trimming Houthi branches is futile without confronting the head of the octopus in Tehran
Assessment
The opinion argues that Saudi Arabia's military campaign against the Houthis failed because it avoided confronting Iran, the group's real backer. With the Houthis now stronger, Riyadh risks being pulled back into a conflict it cannot win through limited strikes. The piece frames the war as a proxy struggle requiring a strategic shift toward Tehran.