Will Yemen's Houthis de-escalate after a month of tension, clashes in region? - analysis

The Houthis have escalated attacks and rhetoric against Saudi Arabia throughout July, sparking concerns about potential disruptions to international shipping via the Red Sea. Recent claims include attacks on key port facilities in Yanbu and Jizan. Reports from Yemen suggest the Houthis downed a Saudi Arabian drone, signaling their determination not to back down, even as a reduction in US-Iran tensions could potentially ease regional pressures.

The conflict in Yemen is complex, recently intensifying when Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government opposed Iran flying to Sana'a, the Houthi capital. The Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of bombing the airport and threatened to blockade Saudi shipping in the Red Sea if their own blockade continued. This has led top shipping insurers to exclude Saudi Arabia-linked ships from war cargo insurance coverage in the Red Sea, posing further risks to oil exports.

The Iranian-backed Houthis have transformed significantly over two decades, evolving from a movement in northern Yemen into a formidable armed group in the Middle East. Originating from Yemen’s Zaidi Shi’ite community, they fought the Yemeni government in the 2000s before seizing Sana'a in 2014. Saudi Arabia intervened in 2015 with an Arab coalition to prevent a full Houthi takeover, leading to years of conflict during which Iran increased its support for the Houthis, enhancing their arsenal.