Fighters from the Iran-backed Houthi group have seized territory close to the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea – a key trade gateway that links Asia and Europe. Houthis have said they pose no threat to international shipping but have reiterated their intention to target vessels from Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied
Yemen’s Houthis attacked a crucial port on the Red Sea, killing people and further escalating the conflict over strategic waterways in the Middle East. They also said they attacked an oil facility on Sunday in southwestern Saudi Arabia, the latest attack by the Iranian-backed rebels on the kingdom. Meanwhile, Iran has made new demands about the restart of
At least 30 Yemeni government troops have reportedly been killed in Houthi rebel attacks on military camps in central Yemen. The defence ministry said ballistic missiles and drones struck several camps in the provinces of Marib and Hadramawt, resulting in the death and injury of a number of Yemeni personnel. It did not give an
So what effect is all this having on the region as a whole? First, it is important to note that two countries previously devastated by ruinous civil wars – Iraq and Syria – are now largely peaceful and stable, at least compared to where they were. The Gaza war is technically a ceasefire, although Gazans