How Yemen factors into wider conflict in the Middle East

Saudi-backed Yemeni forces launched a military operation against Iran-backed Houthi militants on Saturday, condemning the group for involving Yemen in regional conflicts to serve foreign interests. This action highlights the ongoing internal conflict within Yemen and its entanglement with broader geopolitical rivalries.

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The group has dragged Yemen into regional conflicts in service of foreign agendas and schemes.

The Houthi rebels are part of Iran's "Axis of Resistance," a network of allied militant groups across the region. They have threatened to expand the conflict as the United States and Israel engage in war with Iran. The group has recently intensified attacks on commercial shipping and Saudi Arabia, further destabilizing the region.

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The Huthis are among several Iranian proxies that have threatened to widen the conflict as the US and Israel remain at war with Iran.

The war in Yemen, which has lasted over a decade, primarily pits the Houthi movement against a Saudi-led coalition supporting the internationally recognized government. The Houthi seized control of northern provinces and the capital Sanaa after the Arab Spring in 2011, becoming a key Iranian proxy armed with weapons and technology.

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The rebel group has struck commercial shipping and recently ramped up attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.

Experts suggest that the Houthi rebels see the current regional tensions, particularly the conflict involving Iran, as an opportunity to recover from past losses. This perception deepens concerns that the Middle East is on the brink of a wider regional conflict, with the Yemeni war serving as a critical flashpoint. The prolonged conflict has already resulted in one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

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Saudi officials last week signed a NATO-like defense agreement with Pakistan and Turkey as they looked to bolster the kingdom’s mutual defense.