Saudi Arabia Faces 'Slim Pickings' as Houthis Press for Control

The Houthis' rapid advances in Yemen and attacks on Saudi Arabia have left the kingdom with few options for response, all of which carry significant costs.

According to Mohammed Al-Basha, an expert on Yemen and a Washington-based risk adviser, Riyadh does not want an all-out war but may be dragged into it by the Houthis' emboldened behavior.

The Houthis have captured strategic Perim Island at the mouth of the Red Sea and the port town of Mocha as they seek to control the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a key energy route.

Saudi Arabia has been making greater use of its East-West pipeline since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, rerouting 5 million barrels of oil per day that would have gone through the Persian Gulf.