A Shaken Saudi Arabia Struggles To Navigate Dangerous Crossroads (S01E180)

Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Paris

Just a few months ago, it looked as though Saudi Arabia would be fine. It seemed it alone among the Gulf states would withstand and perhaps even profit from the chaos ignited by the unprovoked February 28 US and Israeli military attack on Iran and the subsequent warfare and economic fallout. That all ended when Saudi stumbled into a renewal of its disastrous war with Yemen’s Ansar Allah, or the Houthis.

In the latest episode of badlands, renowned Middle East scholar and Saudi exile Madawi Al-Rasheed joins host Borzou Daragahi to dissect the recent escalation of conflict involving Saudi Arabia, Iran, the US, Israel, and the Houthis.

Madawi discusses the historical context of Saudi involvement in Yemen, the implications of rising oil prices on global economies, and the paradox of American military might failing to achieve its goals.

Madawi sheds light on why the Saudis’ perceived security has crumbled and how their reliance on foreign aid has left them vulnerable.

She also delves into the stability of the kingdom itself, and whether there’s any chance that the ongoing wars in the region could destabilize the heavy-handed rule of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

In the episode, Borzou also offers a brief update on the Israeli elections and, in an interview with India’s NewsX World, discusses civilian casualties in the war between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Notes:

* Saudi Arabia’s war with Yemen is now threatening the kingdom’s non-oil economy, the service industry sector that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has desperately sought to cultivate.

* Civilian deaths continue to mount in the conflict between Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi Arabia.

* Arab Israelis (Palestinians) turned out to vote in huge numbers in Israel’s crucial elections.

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