Toplines

The Houthis are attempting to either secure control of Yemeni oil and gas resources or force Saudi Arabia to fund salaries of Houthi government employees, either of which would solidify their political control in Yemen and weaken the Yemeni government. Houthi Supreme Leader Abdulmalik al Houthi demanded that Saudi Arabia stop “depriving” Yemen of the country’s oil, gas, and other natural resource wealth during a speech on September 21.[1] This demand indicates that the Houthis aim to control Yemen’s oil and gas reserves because Abdulmalik views the Houthi authorities as “Yemen,” not the internationally-recognized government.[2] The dire economic situation in Houthi-controlled areas could threaten Houthi long-term control, so securing greater revenue through military or diplomatic action would satisfy their strategic objectives of solidifying control.[3] Control of the oil and gas fields would also place the Houthis in control of most of Yemen’s economically viable areas and resources, thus permanently solidifying their political control of Yemen.

The Houthis reportedly rejected earlier Saudi-proposed truce offers that would have resumed Houthi-Yemeni government negotiations on oil production and exports and civil servant salaries.[4] The Houthis have consistently demanded that Saudi Arabia fund civil servant salaries in Sanaa as part of a 2023 Houthi-Saudi agreement.[5] Saudi Arabia’s latest truce offer does not appear to explicitly guarantee Houthi access to fuel revenues and salary funding, however. The truce would have forced the Houthis to stop military action, while the Houthis believe they have the upper hand, without guaranteeing that the Houthis would accomplish their objectives. The Houthis’ rejection of this alleged Saudi proposal may indicate that they are unwilling to accept truce offers that do not improve their economic position through either control of Yemeni oil and gas or increased revenues from salary payments.[6]

The Houthis likely intend to secure control of Yemeni oil and gas to alleviate dire economic conditions in Houthi-controlled territory and advance the group’s objective of controlling all of Yemen.[7] The Houthis require revenue to retain control of Houthi-controlled territory and to fund their military operations to achieve their ultimate objective to control all of Yemeni territory.[8] Saudi recent measures against the Houthis, including traffic controls on Houthi-controlled ports and airports, have restricted the flow of fuel, funding, weapons, and goods into Houthi-controlled territory and rendered the group unable to pay its officials.[9] US airstrikes during Operation Rough Rider in 2025 also damaged facilities at Houthi-controlled Hudaydah Port and supply lines between Hudaydah and Sanaa, further hindering Houthi commercial and smuggling activity.[10]

The Houthis appear to be threatening Saudi Arabia’s international partners to isolate Saudi Arabia and prevent Saudi partners from forming a coalition against Houthi efforts in the Red Sea. The Houthis damaged an Italian Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet during an attack targeting King Fahd Air Base in Taif, Saudi Arabia, on September 17.[11] It is unclear whether the Houthis intentionally targeted the aircraft. Senior Italian government sources stated that Italy redeployed Italian military aircraft from the King Fahd Air Base to elsewhere following the attack, according to Italian media on September 22.[12] Houthi officials reportedly told Italian officials that the group does not seek conflict with Italy but questioned why Italy had deployed military aircraft to Saudi bases.[13] Italy has long deployed fighter jets at Saudi bases as part of the global coalition to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) but deployed, alongside other countries, additional fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in March 2026 to protect Gulf states’ airspace from Iranian attacks.[14] The Houthis may perceive this air defense mission as a potential hindrance to the group’s offensive campaign against Saudi Arabia, which consists chiefly of attacks on Saudi oil facilities, amid various countries’ defensive support for Saudi Arabia.[15] A Houthi attack that damages European aircraft deployed to Saudi Arabia to support Saudi efforts to defend against Iranian attacks also supports Iranian objectives to break the coalition defending Gulf states against Iran.

The Houthis have made threats against other Saudi partners. Abdulmalik also warned Pakistan and Turkey, Saudi Arabia’s mutual defense treaty allies under the “Mecca Pact,” not to support Saudi Arabia on September 21, for example.[16] The Houthis view their strike campaign in Saudi Arabia as fundamental to efforts to maximize Saudi political and economic costs, which the group believes will compel Saudi Arabia to submit to Houthi demands.[17] Continued Houthi threats, if effective in deterring Saudi allies, would accordingly weaken Saudi air defenses, increase the efficacy of the Houthis’ strike campaign, and keep Saudi Arabia relatively isolated and unsupported against the group.