Saudi Arabia in Strategic Shock; Trump's Lack of Support for Bin Salman

Saudi Arabia is facing a "strategic shock" amid increasing attacks by Iranian-backed forces on the country. This situation became more acute when Donald Trump, the President of the United States, refrained from military intervention in the conflict with the Houthis, leading to disappointment and anger among Saudi officials.

Increase in Attacks and Pressure on the Economy

In recent weeks, Houthi forces have repeatedly targeted Saudi Arabia, putting additional pressure on the country's oil export capabilities and consequently on the global economy. According to analysts, Saudi Arabia now finds itself in the middle of a war between the United States and Iran, and the country's leaders are considering their limited options.

Read more: The European Union condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

Cancellation of Diplomatic Meetings

Saudi Arabia's diplomatic efforts to engage with Iran have so far yielded limited results. A meeting that was supposed to take place with officials from Iran and Saudi Arabia was suddenly postponed, as the gap between the parties' positions remained too wide. Michael Ratney, the former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, emphasizes that the Saudis are currently extremely disappointed and frustrated, and this situation is indeed the worst-case scenario for them.

In just the past two weeks, Saudi Arabia has been targeted by Houthi forces from various regions, including the east, south, and north. At the end of August, a Saudi oil tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the death of two of its crew members. Additionally, on Friday, Houthi forces seized part of a major international shipping route, and Saudi officials announced that they were forced to shut down a vital oil pipeline.

Challenges Facing Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is seeking a security partnership with the United States to cope with the current situation. Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, has previously spent billions of dollars to establish close relations with Trump. However, when he requested military action against the Houthis from Trump last week, this request was denied.

Saudi officials have explicitly stated that they do not want to engage in war with the Houthis alone. According to Abdulrahman al-Rashed, a columnist close to the Saudi government, this issue requires international support. However, it seems that Trump is reluctant to enter this conflict. This situation has seriously disappointed the Saudis.

As Saudi Arabia turns to diplomacy, analysts believe that Saudi officials are unlikely to publicly criticize the United States and are seeking to establish new agreements with neighboring countries and even Iran.

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