Supporters of Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement gather during a protest against what the group describes as restrictions imposed by the Saudi-led coalition on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen in Sanaa, July 17, 2026. (Credit: Mohammad Huwais/AFP)
As the war between the United States and Iran intensifies by the day, a front that had remained relatively marginal in the renewed confrontation following the collapse of the cease-fire now appears to be opening. On Monday, Yemen's Houthi rebels announced an immediate "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia, raising the risk that the regional war could spill over from the Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea.The group, backed by Tehran, said the decision was based on the "eye for an eye" principle and was a response to what it described as a Saudi blockade of Yemeni ports and airports. In a statement, it warned that "any reckless act by the Saudi enemy, whatever the extent of the escalation, will be met with a comprehensive and decisive escalation." Zoom out Inevitable escalation takes shape in the Middle...
As the war between the United States and Iran intensifies by the day, a front that had remained relatively marginal in the renewed confrontation following the collapse of the cease-fire now appears to be opening. On Monday, Yemen's Houthi rebels announced an immediate "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia, raising the risk that the regional war could spill over from the Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea.The group, backed by Tehran, said the decision was based on the "eye for an eye" principle and was a response to what it described as a Saudi blockade of Yemeni ports and airports. In a statement, it warned that "any reckless act by the Saudi enemy, whatever the extent of the escalation, will be met with a comprehensive and decisive escalation." Zoom out Inevitable escalation takes shape in the Middle...
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