According to Al Jazeera, security and defense analyst Wolfgang Pustätt stated that the Houthi declaration that Saudi airspace was unsafe was a "clever move." Pustätt pointed out that while the Houthi's long-range missile stockpile is dwindling, they still possess a significant number of missiles and drones capable of striking targets near the Yemeni border. Therefore, the group is attempting to use long-range missiles with "maximum efficiency," amplifying the impact of its limited weapons resources by attacking civilian targets such as airports near Riyadh.
He stated, "It doesn't take a large number of missiles to disrupt air traffic, because civilian airlines certainly won't fly to threatened airports." Pustätt believes that Saudi Arabia may redeploy its own missile defense system and receive assistance from US and European air defense equipment, but the drone threat remains.
He also noted that while the Houthi claim to have shot down a Turkish-made Bayraktar drone may be tactically insignificant, continued losses could weaken Saudi Arabia's ability to conduct reconnaissance operations over Yemen.
