New Delhi, Sept. 10 -- The conflict between Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised Yemeni government has intensified, with the latest escalation raising concerns that the country could once again descend into a wider war.
The Houthis have stepped up attacks on Saudi military installations, oil facilities, airports and other infrastructure, while also targeting vessels in the Red Sea. The escalation comes amid renewed fighting inside Yemen and growing tensions across the wider Middle East. The latest phase of hostilities was triggered after forces loyal to Yemen's internationally recognised government carried out an attack on the Houthi-controlled Sanaa airport. The strike was aimed at preventing an aircraft from Iran from landing there. Following the incident, the Houthis announced what they described as a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia. They subsequently launched drone and missile attacks targeting Saudi oil facilities, airports and oil tankers operating in the Red Sea, leading to further exchanges of attacks.
The conflict intensified further after the Houthis launched a major offensive aimed at advancing through Taiz and Hodeidah towards the port city of Mocha and the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Saudi Arabia has reported casualties from the latest Houthi attacks. Riyadh said strikes on military sites, oil facilities and other infrastructure in the southwestern cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran injured 73 civilians, including women and children. Saudi authorities have vowed to respond to the attacks. The Houthis, meanwhile, have claimed responsibility for attacks on trucks carrying weapons and ammunition intended for Yemeni government forces.
The rebels have also accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out an attack on a prison in Yemen that they say killed 23 people. The competing claims come as fighting between the two sides intensifies across several parts of Yemen. Fighting was reported in the Yemeni provinces of Taiz, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Al-Hudaydah, with several people reportedly killed. Reinforcements have also been deployed around Mokha, a port city close to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, amid concerns over possible Houthi attacks. The renewed violence has raised fears that the conflict could expand significantly. According to the World Health Organization, at least 194 people were killed and more than 880 injured in renewed fighting between August 23 and September 5. The broader Yemen conflict has claimed an estimated 1.5 lakh lives. The latest escalation has also raised questions over whether Saudi Arabia could seek greater military support from its regional allies. In particular, attention has turned to a proposed security grouping involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, sometimes referred to as an "Islamic NATO".
Pakistan's defence minister has indicated that the security arrangement could potentially become operational, putting the grouping under greater scrutiny as Saudi Arabia faces intensified attacks from the Houthis. The Yemen conflict has deep roots. Houthi forces seized control of the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014, triggering a prolonged civil war. Saudi Arabia viewed the rise of the Houthis as a direct security threat and, in 2015, formed a coalition involving the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and other countries to intervene militarily in support of Yemen's government. The intervention failed to restore the Yemeni government's control over the country, while the Houthis consolidated their hold over large parts of Yemen. Saudi Arabia continues to support government forces, while the Houthis are alleged to receive weapons and support from Iran.
The renewed attacks also pose a threat beyond Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The Red Sea is a crucial route for international shipping, and any sustained escalation could put commercial vessels at greater risk. The region's maritime security has become even more important because attacks around the Strait of Hormuz have already disrupted major energy routes. A further deterioration in security around the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb could therefore affect commercial shipping and energy supplies. With fighting intensifying inside Yemen and Houthi attacks reaching Saudi military and economic targets, the latest escalation risks turning a renewed Yemen conflict into a broader regional security crisis.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.