𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢

🚨🇺🇸🇸🇦 In a recent New York Times opinion piece, Saudi Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud @rbalsaud made a striking comparison between the fight against ISIS and the challenge posed by the terrorist Houthis: “ISIS was defeated by local forces backed by a coalition of more than 80 nations. The Houthis can be defeated the same way. It is Yemen’s fight to lead.” Back in 2014–2015, when ISIS was tearing through Iraq and Syria, the world didn’t just throw together a military coalition. What happened was a rare alignment of self-interest. Countries that normally disagreed on almost everything recognized that the cost of doing nothing was higher than the cost of cooperating. The Houthis, a terrorist group, have demonstrated capabilities that pose regional and international security concerns, with Iranian support playing a significant role. They’ve launched more than a thousand ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia. They’ve threatened the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical chokepoint for global trade. Their activities have also raised concerns about weapons proliferation, regional militancy, and the recruitment and indoctrination of children. A disruption to Saudi energy production or export routes could raise fuel, transport, and manufacturing costs worldwide, feeding inflation and squeezing households and businesses far beyond the region. With ISIS, the death toll and refugee waves hit European and American communities hard enough to force the issue. Much of the human cost of the Houthi threat, by contrast, has fallen on Yemenis and Saudis, while many foreign capitals continue to treat it as a regional problem. She’s not just saying we need another coalition of more than 80 nations. She’s pointing to a lesson from the fight against ISIS: international cooperation becomes possible when enough countries recognize that the threat extends beyond any single region. By the time a major disruption to shipping drives up prices for consumers in Chicago or Hamburg, or advances in missile technology create a more immediate threat to distant countries, the cost of responding could be much higher. Saudi Arabia is working with Yemeni partners, helping counter weapons smuggling, restricting financial channels, and providing humanitarian assistance. Countries should designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization, cut off their funding, intercept weapons shipments at sea, and strengthen support for Yemen’s legitimate government. Saudi Arabia has a legitimate interest in defending its people and territory and preventing Yemen from becoming a permanent platform for cross-border attacks and regional instability. At the same time, lasting security cannot be built on military pressure alone. It requires a viable Yemeni state, functioning institutions, humanitarian relief, and a political future in which Yemenis, not armed factions backed by outside powers, determine their country’s direction. Any effective response must be coordinated, grounded in international law, attentive to civilian protection, and paired with a credible path toward peace. Saudi Arabia should not have to wait for the rest of the world to feel the danger before that danger is acknowledged. Saudi Arabia’s security, regional security, Yemen’s stability, global energy security, and the freedom of international navigation are inseparable parts of that challenge. PEACE IS NEVER SECURED BY IGNORING THE THREAT.

Today is election day in Israel, which is a national holiday. All voting is in person, ID required. No mail-in or absentee ballots. Arabs vote same as Israelis. Contentious process, but it's a democracy-not many of those in this region!