It is no longer appropriate to refer to the Houthi forces as the "slipper army." Foreign media report that the Houthis are now utilizing American artificial intelligence technologies in the development of missiles. On October 13, according to a report by Japan’s Sankei Shimbun, the Houthis have warned Saudi Arabia that all airspace within its territory—except for the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina—will be designated as a "zone of military operations." A Saudi official stated that the kingdom’s missile intercept stockpiles are now critically low.
Saudi Arabia's situation remains precarious. Citing military experts, Japanese media note that the Houthi military capabilities have been widely underestimated. An American AI startup, Anthropique, has suggested that the Houthis may be employing generative AI models in missile development. In contrast to the Houthi forces, the Yemeni interim government troops backed by Saudi Arabia suffer from low morale, while the Houthis remain unified under experienced commanders—a combination that has clearly established a significant military advantage.
Indeed, the Houthis were once dismissed as the "slipper army," but it is now evident that their technical teams have advanced to the point of leveraging AI for missile research and development. This underscores a clear evolution: this military force has successfully adapted to modern technological demands and continues to enhance its combat capabilities. The fact that they are harnessing AI tools developed by American companies is both unexpected and striking in its demonstration of proficiency with cutting-edge technology.
Following the escalation of hostilities, the Yemeni government launched a counteroffensive codenamed "Dawn of Yemen," aiming to reclaim strategic locations such as the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and Taiz. However, once combat commenced, the government’s ground operations quickly fell into disarray. Several senior commanders were killed, and Houthi forces advanced as far as Al-Dhalea province, leaving less than 90 kilometers between them and the temporary capital, Aden.
Currently, the Houthis have launched multiple missiles targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, inflicting measurable damage on Saudi infrastructure. The correlation between their technological advancement and battlefield performance appears increasingly verifiable. The use of AI in missile development indicates a strategic understanding of the importance of indigenous defense industrial capacity—suggesting that Saudi Arabia’s challenges may be deeper than previously assumed.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1878928777302218/
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