In an almost daily series of escalations, both the Houthis and the US-led coalition have brought an international conflict in the Red Sea onto Yemen’s soil. Since the US and UK launched their first strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen on 11 January (MEES, 12 January 2023), both sides have continually exchanged attacks: the Houthis repeatedly firing on vessels in the Red Sea with help from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps; and the US and UK launching nine military strikes so far on targets in Yemen.
On the diplomatic front, the crisis is also looking increasingly intractable. The United States has redesignated the Houthis as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists,” while the Houthis continue to claim their attacks are aimed at pressuring Israel to stop its war on Gaza. Both the US and the UK refuse to acknowledge any link between Israel’s war and the Houthi attacks, a stance at odds with their main Gulf allies (MEES, 19 January). (CONTINUED - 832 WORDS)
