What do the Houthis stand to gain by escalating now?
The Houthis had mostly stayed out of the Iran war. But in recent weeks they have started attacking ships in the Red Sea, as well as Saudi-linked targets inside Yemen and across the border. On Tuesday, a double-tap strike on a cargo ship in the Bab Al Mandeb strait killed four crew members and two rescue workers. They have also targeted Yemeni government forces in Marib, Hadhramaut and Hodeidah,…
The Houthis, who have refrained from engaging in the Iran war thus far, are now escalating their actions. In recent weeks, they have commenced attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea, as well as Saudi-backed entities within Yemen and along its borders. On Tuesday, a strike on a cargo ship in the Bab Al Mandeb strait resulted in the loss of four crew members and two rescue workers.
Additionally, the Houthis have targeted Yemeni government forces in Marib, Hadhramaut, and Hodeidah, and have struck the port city of Mokha. Their actions extend beyond Yemen's borders, with strikes on Saudi oil sites.
Analysts believe the Houthis' timing for intervention is deliberate. With the Strait of Hormuz largely closed, the group aims to intensify pressure on global shipping and bolster their influence in the region. In an episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher delves into the motivations behind the Houthis' recent actions and the gains they anticipate from pressuring Saudi Arabia and the US-Iran negotiations.
She interviews Nadwa Al-Dawsari, an associate fellow at the Middle East Institute, and Abdulghani Al-Iryani, a senior researcher at the Sanaa Centre.
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