Why a new war in Yemen could be different for the Houthis

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Yemen’s Houthi movement has mobilised forces in areas it controls, raising fears that the country could return to full-scale war after roughly four years of relative calm. The outlet said the Houthis claimed missile and drone attacks on two Saudi ships in the Red Sea on Wednesday, while fighting also broke out with Yemeni government-aligned forces in Dhale governorate, causing more than 30 casualties on both sides.

The report says the Houthis still control Yemen’s populous northwest, including Sanaa, and retain significant drone and missile capabilities after years of conflict with the internationally recognised government, a Saudi-led coalition, and later US, UK and Israeli strikes. But analysts cited by Al Jazeera said the balance may be changing because anti-Houthi forces appear more coordinated than in earlier phases of the war.

Ahmed Nagi of the International Crisis Group told Al Jazeera that Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council looks less divided and that Saudi Arabia is working more closely with anti-Houthi factions. Marwan Ali Noman of the Washington Center for Yemeni Studies pointed to government military unity, external support, concern over Red Sea security and an emerging tribal alliance in al-Jawf as factors that could put pressure on the Houthis if fighting escalates.

Al Jazeera also notes that renewed Houthi threats to shipping could prompt a different regional and international response than during the 2023-2025 Red Sea campaign. Yazeed al-Jeddawy of the Sanaa Center said sustained attacks on Saudi-linked vessels could speed up regional security coordination and greater backing for local ground forces. The developments matter because Yemen’s unresolved war sits alongside vital Red Sea shipping routes and broader regional tensions.