Foreign Affairs
Escalating Tensions Between Houthi Rebels and Saudi Arabia: What Lies Behind the Conflict?
Houthi rebels in Yemen launched drone and rocket attacks on Riyadh, escalating tensions after seizing the port city of Mocha and an island in the Bab el Mandeb Strait. The Houthis, backed by Iran, control significant parts of northern and western Yemen and oppose the Saudi-backed government. Their recent gains threaten Red Sea shipping routes, impacting oil exports for Saudi Arabia, which already faces blockades in the Strait of Hormuz due to conflict with Iran. Although a 2022 ceasefire was signed, hostilities have resumed, prompting Saudi Arabia to seek support from Turkey and Pakistan through a mutual defense pact. The US has not intervened directly, citing existing agreements with the Houthis regarding international shipping. This escalation risks further regional instability and economic disruption, particularly affecting European refineries dependent on Red Sea oil supplies.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's