Saudi political analyst Khalid Batafi said Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia will
elicit retaliation but are unlikely to escalate into a protracted war. He said
the situation has intensified; Riyadh had long sought to avoid being drawn into
Yemen’s civil war and previously refrained from responding, but the recent
strikes cross a line. The Saudi-led coalition will have a say and is likely to
respond tit for tat, though Batafi does not expect a prolonged conflict with
Iran or the Houthis.
