US-Iran War: Why Saudi Arabia Has Become the New Target?

If one takes a cursory look at the headlines of leading conventional media, an interesting shift in the regional conflict becomes apparent. The US-Iran war appears to be turning into a Houthi-Saudi war, with Saudi Arabia increasingly portrayed as the victim of Houthi assaults.

There are two important developments worth examining. First, Israel stopped its attacks on Iran, and Donald Trump also announced a halt to US attacks. However, the conflict has not formally ended, and Washington continues to keep its military options open.

Second, the narrative surrounding Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, particularly allegations concerning the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, appears to be gaining prominence. Saudi authorities have reported missile and drone interceptions, including in the Mecca region. The Houthis, however, have denied targeting the holy cities and maintain that their operations are directed against strategic and military installations.

An important question arises: why does the confrontation appear increasingly concentrated on Saudi Arabia? There have been no comparable reports of Houthi attacks on other GCC countries or US military bases hosted by them. This apparent selectivity deserves closer examination.

My concern is that the regional narrative may be undergoing a subtle but significant transformation. For years, Washington and its allies have projected Iran as a greater threat to regional stability than Israel. Now, the growing focus on Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia risks shifting attention away from the original US-Israel-Iran confrontation.

There is another dimension that cannot be ignored; Saudi Arabia's oil exports. Attacks or threats against its oil infrastructure, particularly the East-West pipeline and export facilities, could undermine the Kingdom's economic interests and disrupt global energy supplies. The Houthis have claimed attacks on such installations, although individual claims require independent verification. The Kingdom emerges as the principal target of a wider strategy disrupting Saudi oil exports?

This is not a conclusion to be drawn lightly. However, Riyadh must carefully assess whether the conflict is merely changing its battlefield or whether Saudi Arabia itself is becoming the new center of gravity.