Have the Houthis become akin to “misanthropes,” enemies of humankind, as ancient Greek mythology tells us?
What is certain is that accusations have long followed them. Yet the latest attacks on Saudi civilian airports take the situation to another level of confrontation, reinforcing the argument that they have become enemies not only of Saudi Arabia, but of the world.
The missile attacks launched against the Kingdom’s airports just days ago have elevated the confrontation into a new global threat. The rogue Houthi militias are no longer a menace confined to the sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Their threat has expanded from maritime navigation to civil aviation.
In the former case, the threats were largely linked to global transportation and trade. But the victims at King Khalid Airport, who were of different nationalities, demonstrate that the potential human toll is international. The arteries of travel and communication between countries are now under threat.
This means the danger has become global rather than merely regional or local, as the repercussions extend beyond the targeted state to affect airlines’ confidence, passenger traffic, and the stability of one of the world’s most important transportation sectors.
There is no longer any doubt that the Houthis’ campaign of violence, which has targeted Saudi oil facilities, seeks to deepen the global energy crisis as winter approaches, striking at the heart of oil and gas markets across the world’s six continents.
Are we facing what may be described under international law as war crimes?
Under rules governing the protection of civilians in peacetime, targeting civilian airports and oil facilities, while endangering civilian lives, particularly when such attacks are repeated, even in different forms, constitutes war crimes that are punishable and could lead to proceedings before the International Criminal Court.
Yet given the gravity of the situation, what is required goes far beyond mere characterization. Swift action is needed before the smoke from Houthi aggression has even cleared.
Major international powers have done well to respond, beginning with US President Donald Trump’s remarks rejecting such attacks and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s description of them as a blatant disregard for civilian lives, through to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ condemnation of the attacks and his demand that they cease immediately, alongside many similar reactions.
Words are not enough in the face of missiles. It therefore seems clear that the UN Security Council, which bears responsibility for international peace and security, should convene urgently to discuss the Houthis’ war against humanity and adopt strict punitive measures, both militarily and financially, including stringent sanctions.
In this context, a particular question arises regarding the American position toward the Houthis: Will Washington content itself with statements of condemnation, or will its response take the form of military deterrence?
Looking back at the secret meeting held at Camp David on October 2 under the leadership of US Vice President JD Vance, it appeared clear that President Trump was reviewing his options, not only regarding Iran and what seems to be an inevitable confrontation ahead. Reports also suggested that renewed confrontation with the Houthis was once again being seriously discussed behind closed doors, openly and without hesitation.
Now, with Houthi brutality directed against civilians of various nationalities on Saudi territory, the question of the American role has become impossible to ignore, particularly in light of the strategic US-Saudi relationship, which stretches back more than eight decades. During that time, the Kingdom has been a friend, and indeed an ideological ally, of the United States on more than one global front: first, in confronting Soviet ambitions and thwarting Moscow’s aspirations to reach warm waters and the energy resources of the Arabian Gulf; and later, in countering currents of dogmatic extremism while supporting moderation and a centrist approach.
Recent events highlight the urgent need to strengthen international security using every available tool, beginning with intelligence sharing and extending to enhancing the Kingdom’s air defenses, a responsibility that falls upon all of Saudi Arabia’s friends and allies.
Another issue worth considering concerns the Houthis’ role as a proxy for Tehran. If, using such conventional weapons, they are capable of “managing savagery” on this scale, what might Iran itself and its proxies do to the region and the world if they were to possess nuclear weapons?
In 1770, the renowned British philosopher and statesman Edmund Burke said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
The same phrase was repeated by British philosopher John Stuart Mill in an address at the University of St Andrews in 1867.
Confronting the Houthis is imperative before evil triumphs and the forces of wrongdoing prevail.
