Saudi Arabia between Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb: The trap that became an opportunity | Col. (res.) Amir Noy
Col. (res.) Amir Noy analyzes Saudi Arabia's strategic trap, caught between the Houthi threat on Bab el-Mandeb and the Iranian threat on the Strait of Hormuz. He argues that the crisis creates an opportunity to build a new regional architecture, in which Israel, the US, Egypt, and Gulf states cooperate to protect energy and trade routes, while demanding strategic commitments from Riyadh and progress in relations with Israel.
Col. (res.) Amir Noy analyzes in his column the strategic trap in which Saudi Arabia finds itself: on one hand, the Houthi threat on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea; on the other hand, the Iranian threat on the Strait of Hormuz. Noy argues that Iran has achieved a strategic gain by having the Houthis create strategic depth for it, allowing it to pressure Saudi Arabia without being at the center of the fire. Saudi Arabia, he says, has discovered that arms procurement does not solve its strategic security problem, as it depends on vital chokepoints not fully under its control. Noy proposes a solution including a joint intelligence and early warning system in the Red Sea and the Gulf, integration of air defense capabilities, joint protection of energy infrastructure and ports, and creation of alternative maritime, land, and energy corridors. He emphasizes that Israel should not become a "mercenary" for Saudi Arabia, but rather be part of a broader strategic infrastructure. Noy warns against a temporary arrangement with the Houthis through the Omani channel, which could lead Riyadh to conclude it has no need for the security architecture offered by Washington and Jerusalem. He calls for presenting Mohammed bin Salman with a comprehensive proposal: a regional architecture where the US provides a strategic umbrella, Israel provides intelligence and technology, Egypt provides the Suez Canal, and the UAE and Kuwait provide their weight in the Gulf.