Will all-out war in Yemen reignite as the Houthis escalate attacks?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that a fresh wave of Houthi attacks in Yemen and the Red Sea is raising fears the country could slide back toward all-out war after the 2022 truce sharply reduced fighting. The latest incidents include strikes on the government-held west coast port of al-Makha, an attack on a commercial vessel in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait that Yemen’s coastguard said killed six people and injured 10, and assaults on Yemeni government military sites in eastern Yemen. The Houthis also struck Saudi Aramco facilities in Jazan, underscoring how the conflict is again spilling beyond Yemen’s borders.

The article says the escalation has prompted a stronger response from Saudi Arabia, which backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera say Riyadh is working more closely with regional and Western partners to protect Red Sea shipping and bolster its security posture. That includes a newly announced international maritime alliance, deeper defense ties with Pakistan and Turkiye, and closer coordination with Washington. Saudi intervention against the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council last year also helped anti-Houthi forces present a more unified front.

Al Jazeera says the broader backdrop is the regional confrontation involving Iran, Israel and the United States, which has increased the strategic importance of Red Sea routes. Experts cited in the report say the current Saudi approach appears less focused on retaking Sanaa and more aimed at pushing Houthi forces away from coastal areas and protecting shipping lanes. The article notes that while the new defense pact raises the stakes, analysts do not expect foreign troops to enter the war on Saudi Arabia’s behalf. The key unanswered question is whether the Houthis are seeking leverage or signaling a return to wider conflict.