The Houthis Are Risking Everything for Iran
Tehran’s proxy risks pushing a newly consolidated Saudi Arabia into an all-out ground war.
The Houthis, a Yemeni militant group, are risking significant consequences in their ongoing conflict with Iran and Saudi Arabia. Their actions are driven by a desire to demonstrate the power of their maritime blockades, which they believe can inflict economic panic on global markets. In an early warning to Iran, the Houthis declared that if Iran were attacked, the Red Sea would be "red with the blood of its enemies."
Despite the White House's insistence that the Strait of Hormuz remained open, Tehran activated the Houthis at Bab el-Mandeb, a second chokepoint, to showcase Iran's capabilities. The first escalation involved an Iranian aircraft landing in Yemen's Sanaa airport, which the Yemeni government then destroyed. This series of strikes, including attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities, has caused global economic panic as the price of Brent crude reached above $100 a barrel for the first time since the war began.
The Houthis' actions are designed to force insurance markets to price in the threat, effectively straining U.S. air defenses in the region. While the Houthis have successfully imposed burdens on Saudi Arabia and the United States through their maritime blockade, they risk pushing the conflict into a total confrontation that could involve a ground war in Yemen, a scenario the group may not have the resources or weapons to sustain.
Written by urgent.news from Foreign Policy's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
