How the Houthis Have Become the Most Fearsome of Iran’s Allies
· World · Hindustan Times, The Economist
A four-year truce in Yemen's civil war is unraveling as open conflict breaks out again through renewed Houthi military actions. The Iran-backed militia has launched drone and missile attacks against government positions in August, killing dozens of soldiers and civilians following accusations of a planned offensive by the internationally recognized government and Saudi Arabia. Since mid-July, the Houthi militia has also targeted Saudi-linked ships, ports, airports, and refineries in the Red Sea to blackmail the kingdom into paying civil servants and lifting shipping restrictions. On August 15th, Houthi missiles struck the port of Mokha near the Bab al-Mandab strait, causing $16m in damage and forcing its closure to weaken government-backed forces. The rebels are also pushing to capture valuable oilfields in Marib after previously being repelled in 2022.
Why it matters
The renewed Houthi attacks disrupt critical Red Sea shipping routes through the Bab al-Mandab strait, halting Saudi oil tankers and threatening regional energy supplies.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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