Answer extracted from the The Daily podcast — listen to the full episode below.
What are Saudi Arabia's remaining moves against the Red Sea blockade?
Saudi Arabia faces two constrained paths forward: renew a costly military campaign against the Houthis that already failed once, or pursue diplomacy with an adversary known for maximalist demands and no guarantee of compliance. Neither option breaks the blockade with certainty.
The first option is military. A return to war with the Houthis means Saudi Arabia must force them to back down by combat—a strategy that has already been tried. Saudi Arabia's prior bombing campaign from 2015 onwards did not crush Houthi resolve, and the group has only grown stronger and more entrenched since then. The costs of renewed conflict would be substantial, and there is no indication a second attempt would succeed where the first failed.
The second option is diplomacy. But as Vivian Neerheim reports in the episode, the Houthis have a documented history of tabling maximalist demands during negotiations. They currently hold the upper hand—controlling the Bab al-Mandab Strait and other critical chokepoints—and feel emboldened by their military gains. Even if Saudi Arabia negotiates a settlement, there is no guarantee the agreement would be durable or that the Houthis would honor its terms.
"As long as there is still conflict in the region and as long as they have foes who are still willing and able to attack the pipeline, that will remain a risk."
Vivian Neerheim — Correspondent, The New York Times. Based in Riyadh, she covers geopolitical developments across the Middle East, with deep expertise in the Iran-U.S. conflict and its spillover effects on regional energy security and Gulf Arab strategy.
This statement reflects a deeper structural problem: even a diplomatic agreement cannot fully eliminate the risk to Saudi Arabia's exports as long as hostile actors remain capable of targeting infrastructure. The Houthis, backed by Iran, have demonstrated repeated willingness to attack pipelines and shipping routes—and no treaty can guarantee they will stop if political conditions shift or grievances resurface.
What makes this dilemma particularly acute for Saudi Arabia is timing. The blockade is already disrupting global oil markets, evidenced by the overnight 20-cent spike in U.S. gas prices in a single 24-hour period. Saudi Arabia cannot afford a prolonged stalemate, yet both available paths—military and diplomatic—are uncertain and expensive. The full episode explores how these regional tensions ripple through global energy supply, from the Red Sea to the pump prices American drivers pay every day.
See also
Why did the Trump administration decline to intervene militarily against the Houthis despite Saudi Arabia's requests for support?
According to Trump's statements, the Houthis don't want to fight the U.S., only Saudi Arabia. Trump has also cited that the U.S. already fought the Houthis in the past and preferred not to resume military engagement.
What specific events in July and recent weeks led to the collapse of Saudi Arabia's oil export alternatives?
In July, the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. Last week, the Houthis pushed towards the Red Sea coast and seized vast territories, controlling critical shipping routes and cutting off multiple export pathways.
How did the Houthis emerge as a major power player in Yemen and what triggered their recent military advances?
The Houthis started as a ragtag religious movement in northern Yemen and became increasingly important starting in 2014, when they swept into Sana'a. Their recent advances have been enabled by their control of key terrain and the weakening of opposing forces.