Saudi Arabia’s Clashes With The Houthis Keep Escalating. Riyadh is now Reportedly Beefing Up Its Missile Capabilities.

Saudi Arabia appears to be expanding a ballistic missile factory in a move that could allow the kingdom to produce weapons capable of traveling farther or carrying heavier payloads, according to researchers whose satellite imagery analysis was detailed in a new report.

An exclusive Reuters report pointed to construction at the al-Duwadimi complex, about 125 miles west of Riyadh. More capable missiles could strengthen Saudi deterrence against Iran and support its military operations against Yemen's Tehran-backed Houthi rebels.

Researchers at the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute examined commercial satellite images taken by Planet Labs between April 2025 and September of this year. They identified a new building that they believe contains casting pits used to manufacture solid-fuel missile motors. The structure is at least twice the size of the building thought to house the factory's existing casting facilities, according to their assessment.

A second new structure could hold fuel ingredients or completed missile components. Protective walls around the suspected motor production building provide additional evidence of its potential purpose, the researchers said.

The analysis does not establish which missile the expanded facility would produce. Solid-fuel missiles offer military advantages because they can remain in storage for extended periods and launch more quickly than systems using liquid fuel. The findings also highlight Saudi Arabia's longstanding missile relationship with China. Researchers and other specialists interviewed by Reuters said the kingdom's arsenal and the factory's characteristics suggest reliance on Chinese technology.

Saudi Arabia secretly purchased approximately 40 Chinese DF-3 liquid-fuel ballistic missiles in 1987, according to a declassified CIA estimate cited by Reuters. Two were publicly displayed during a military parade in April 2014.

Defense intelligence company Janes also reviewed the assessment and said the buildings could indicate expanded manufacturing capacity or support for developing longer-range missiles.

The potential expansion could intensify bipartisan opposition in Congress to a proposed U.S.-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement involving American assistance with uranium enrichment for electricity generation.

Construction at al-Duwadimi began with ground clearing in April 2025, the researchers said. A December image showed two suspected pits inside an unfinished building, while September 2026 imagery showed protective walls and a roof that remained incomplete.

The institute estimated that the facility could begin missile production as early as the end of 2026, although installing equipment could take several months. Saudi Arabia's embassy and Information Ministry did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. China's embassy and defense ministry also did not respond. The CIA declined to comment, and the White House did not respond.