Saudi Arabia is seeking air-defence support from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt as its interceptor stocks run low under sustained Houthi attacks, while dwindling US supplies limit Washington’s ability to replenish the kingdom, according to two regional officials cited by the Associated Press.
Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman wants to build Saudi Arabia into a huge AI hub in the Middle East.Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout
- Saudi Arabia is seeking air-defence support from France, Britain, Pakistan, and Egypt as its interceptor missile stocks dwindle due to sustained Houthi attacks from Yemen.
- The kingdom faces vulnerability as global inventories of air-defence missiles are stretched amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.
- Diplomatic de-escalation efforts are ongoing, led by Oman and Egypt, while US and Houthi representatives have met for talks in Muscat.
- Washington recently approved a potential $24.3 billion sale of F-35 fighters to Saudi Arabia, but these are a long-term solution and will not address the immediate shortage of interceptors.
The appeal comes as the wider Middle East conflict puts pressure on weapons inventories in the United States and Europe, even as Washington moves ahead with a new $24.3 billion F-35 jet deal for Saudi Arabia.
However, the urgency remains immediate as Riyadh must defend military bases, government facilities and oil infrastructure across a vast territory while protecting crude export routes around the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
On September 16, Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said Mecca was a “red line” after Saudi air defenses intercepted a Houthi drone south of the holy city.
The Foreign Ministry said the kingdom would take “all necessary measures” to defend itself. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca.
One regional official described the kingdom as being in a “very difficult position.”
That pressure is forcing Riyadh to widen its search for air-defence support beyond Washington, as the United States also struggles with shrinking interceptor stocks.
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Saudi Arabia’s main arms supplier, the United States, has seen its own interceptor stocks dwindle during more than six months of war with Iran, according to one of the regional officials.
European inventories are also stretched, with US and NATO officials previously warning of critical interceptor shortages as governments balance their own defence requirements with support for Ukraine.
Washington has also avoided direct involvement in Saudi Arabia’s renewed confrontation with the Iran-backed Houthis, who recently seized territory and islands around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital Red Sea chokepoint for Saudi oil exports and commercial shipping.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked President Donald Trump for US military support, but Washington declined to carry out direct strikes. Instead, it offered intelligence-sharing and targeting assistance, Reuters reported.
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With US supplies under pressure, Saudi Arabia has sought air-defence support from other partners, including Britain, France and Pakistan.
Britain confirmed a “close defense partnership” with Riyadh but declined to say whether military assistance was formally requested, while shortages across Europe limit how much support France and other allies can provide.
Turkish officials said they had received no request under the new trilateral defence pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye, although Riyadh is also looking to other regional partners for support.
Egypt, in particular, has moved closer to the Saudi security effort. On September 15, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo, where the two leaders stressed the need to secure navigation through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Egypt also said Saudi and Gulf security was an integral part of its own national security.
At the same time, Egypt and Oman are pursuing de-escalation efforts, while US and Houthi representatives have held talks in Muscat.
“But the decision now is to give diplomacy a chance,” one regional official said.
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The search for interceptors comes just as Washington has approved a potential $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 Lightning II fighters to Saudi Arabia.
The package includes 49 Pratt & Whitney engines, communications equipment, spare parts and other support systems, although the sale still requires congressional approval.
If completed, Saudi Arabia would become the only Arab country operating the stealth fighter.
The aircraft, however, address a different defence requirement from the shortage Riyadh faces today.
Saudi Arabia currently needs interceptors capable of destroying incoming missiles and drones, while the F-35 package is a longer-term investment that could take years to deliver and fully integrate into the kingdom’s air force.
