The Houthis literally overran Yemen, a poor country on the Arabian Peninsula, in 2014 and plunged it into civil war. A ceasefire came into force in the conflict in 2022, although minor skirmishes continued afterwards.
A few weeks ago the fighting escalated with air strikes in the capital Sanaa. The Houthis subsequently attacked several Saudi ships or at least forced them to change course. According to government circles, several people were killed and injured in Houthi attacks in Yemen on Thursday. The militia used rockets and drones to attack armed forces facilities in the Yemeni provinces of Marib and Hadramaut, the Defense Ministry said.
Saudi Arabia expects coordinated attacks
Saudi Arabia is now reportedly preparing for greater adversity. Accordingly, some members of Iraqi militias are said to be planning, in coordination with the Houthi rebels, to attack the Gulf state “in the very near future” under the guidance of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Various media such as the US broadcaster CNN cited a Saudi Arabian official who referred to intelligence reports from the USA, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East region.
The official said the planned attacks were intended to sabotage progress in negotiations to end the Iran war, according to CNN. Potential targets are predominantly “civil and commercial facilities” such as energy plants, ports and airports. Despite the reports, Saudi Arabia will continue its de-escalation efforts with Iraqi authorities.
What’s next for the Strait of Hormuz?
The dispute over the Strait of Hormuz and the question of how passage will be regulated are key reasons why the war between the USA and Iran recently escalated again. Now Iran says it is close to reaching an agreement with Oman on shipping through the strait.
According to consistent reports, Iran is said to have brought a kind of circuit into play: ships could enter the Persian Gulf on a northern route through the strait and leave it again on a southern route along the coast of Oman. The USA is said to have not been involved in the negotiations between the two Gulf states. There is now talk of an interim solution during which sea mines laid by Iran could be removed.
