Arming in the Name of “Peace”: What Is Riyadh Hiding?

NYN | Reports and analyses 

At a time when Saudi Arabia frequently declares its “desire to end the war” and “open a new chapter with Sana’a,” one of the world’s largest air defense systems arrives in the Kingdom: seven batteries of the American THAAD system, equipped with 360 interceptor missiles and long-range radars, in a massive deal worth $15 billion.

The deal, signed during former U.S. President Donald Trump’s first term, was officially received by Riyadh in the past two days—amid notable silence from Gulf media regarding its timing and the surrounding security and political context.

This raises pressing questions: Why is Saudi Arabia arming itself so heavily at a time supposedly dedicated to restoring regional relations?

Is it a reinforcement of defenses in anticipation of escalation with Iran? Or with Sana’a, which continues to be treated as a “threat” despite Saudi rhetoric about peace?

Numerically, the system demonstrates advanced capabilities in intercepting long-range ballistic missiles—something that contradicts statements describing the regional landscape as “moving toward de-escalation.”

While this armament is publicly framed as an “investment in security,” observers see it as a psychological and military fortification against potential retaliation from Yemen—especially following the precise aerial operations carried out by Sana’a’s forces deep inside Israel and Saudi Arabia’s lack of seriousness in pursuing genuine peace.

The irony of speaking about peace while loading defense arsenals with the latest missile technologies puts Riyadh in the face of difficult questions: Is trust built through understanding or through shields? Can one extend a hand of reconciliation while holding $15 billion worth of missiles in the other?

In the end, the region may speak the language of diplomacy, but it thinks in the logic of war. And even if the intentions are good, the actions suggest quite the opposite.