How the Iran-backed Houthis’ claims of deadly attacks are stoking fears of a wider regional conflict
CAIRO (AP) — Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a series of deadly attacks this week, escalating the conflict between them and Saudi-backed Yemeni forces and raising fears of a wider regional…
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels asserted responsibility for a series of deadly assaults this week, intensifying the clash between them and Saudi-backed Yemeni forces and sparking concerns of a broader regional conflict. These attacks have claimed the lives of numerous civilians and soldiers, as well as targeting Saudi tankers en route from Red Sea ports through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait into the Gulf of Aden and beyond.
Although less consequential than the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for around 12% of global trade, including a quarter of container traffic, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait once facilitated the passage of global commerce from Europe to Asia via Egypt's Suez Canal. Since the onset of Houthi aggression this week, fewer tankers have navigated the strait, according to shipping data released by analytics firm Kpler this week.
The escalation of Houthi attacks mirrors Iran's intensifying pressure on the United States within Yemen via its close ally, as per Yemen analyst Afrah Nasser. "The escalation is directly tied to regional developments," Nasser elaborated in a report for the non-profit DAWN on Friday.
The Houthi assaults, including one in northeastern Yemen this Friday morning, follow weeks of the rebels declaring a blockade on Saudi-linked vessels leaving the strait in response to a prolonged Saudi blockade on Yemen and recent attacks on the Houthi-held capital. A Houthi strike on Thursday resulted in the injury of 11 civilians, including a 4-year-old child, according to the Saudi military.
Additionally, at least 17 soldiers were killed in Houthi assaults on Saudi-backed military camps in eastern Yemen, as reported by SABA news agency, which is associated with Yemen's officially recognized government. Houthi spokesperson Nasruddin Amer stated on X on Friday that the group will persist in targeting any Saudi advancements, aiming to end the kingdom's blockade on Yemen.
Frequent skirmishes have the potential to severely restrict the waterway. In the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has demonstrated that even isolated attacks on ships can effectively seal off a crucial waterway by heightening risks and insurance premiums. Experts have cautioned that if ships shun navigating through Bab el-Mandeb to such an extent that they refrain from attempting passage, it would effectively render two of the world's most vital maritime routes inoperative, exacerbating the crisis surrounding commercial shipping and the global oil supply.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
