What do the Houthis stand to gain by escalating now?

What do the Houthis stand to gain by escalating now?

The Houthis had mostly stayed out of the Iran war. But in recent weeks they have started attacking ships in the Red Sea, as well as Saudi-linked targets inside Yemen and across the border.

On Tuesday, a double-tap strike on a cargo ship in the Bab Al Mandeb strait killed four crew members and two rescue workers. They have also targeted Yemeni government forces in Marib, Hadhramaut and Hodeidah, and hit the port city of Mokha. Beyond the border, they have launched strikes on Saudi oil sites.

Analysts say the timing of the Houthis’ intervention in the conflict is not a coincidence. With the Strait of Hormuz mostly closed, they can increase pressure on global shipping and try to establish a more influential role in the region.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher examines the motives that prompted the Houthis to act now, and what they expect to gain from pressuring Saudi Arabia and by extension, the US-Iran negotiations. She speaks to Nadwa Al-Dawsari, associate fellow at the Middle East Institute, and Abdulghani Al-Iryani, senior researcher at the Sanaa Centre.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(509)

The cost of occupation: How Palestine's economy has been pushed to the brink

The cost of occupation: How Palestine's economy has been pushed to the brink

Since October 2023, entire industries in Gaza have been wiped out and poverty has increased. In the occupied West Bank, businesses are struggling amid settler violence and increasing restrictions on m...

7 Aug 30min

What the US-Saudi strikes on Iran-affiliated militias in Iraq reveal about the wider war

What the US-Saudi strikes on Iran-affiliated militias in Iraq reveal about the wider war

It has been five months since the US and Israel launched their war with Iran, and the conflict has never really been contained. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE and Jordan have all been hit by Iranian ...

31 Jul 18min

Can Lebanon find a winning formula in peace talks with Israel?

Can Lebanon find a winning formula in peace talks with Israel?

US President Donald Trump pledged his support for Lebanon this week during a visit to the White House by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. A four-decade ban on US airlines flying to the country will be ...

24 Jul 21min

Why has the US-Iran agreement not been enough to end the war?

Why has the US-Iran agreement not been enough to end the war?

The interim agreement aimed at ending the war between the US and Iran has fallen apart barely three weeks after it was signed. Iran has resumed attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, cla...

17 Jul 18min

What’s at stake for foreign powers battling for influence in Syria?

What’s at stake for foreign powers battling for influence in Syria?

On the sidelines of an eventful Nato summit in Ankara, US President Donald Trump was sitting next to his Syrian counterpart Ahmad Al Shara when he announced his intention to lift Syria’s designation a...

10 Jul 19min

Why are ceasefires not ceasing the fire?

Why are ceasefires not ceasing the fire?

The Middle East has been grappling with one conflict after another, leading to countless rounds of negotiations to end fighting. But even when ceasefires are agreed to, the violence seems to continue,...

3 Jul 24min

What's driving Iraq’s anti-corruption crackdown?

What's driving Iraq’s anti-corruption crackdown?

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi has conducted a bold anti-corruption campaign since taking office in May. One of his first moves was to arrest the deputy oil minister for alleged embezzlement, and t...

26 Jun 18min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
forklart
stopp-verden
popradet
nokon-ma-ga
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
rss-gukild-johaug
det-store-bildet
hanna-de-heldige
dine-penger-pengeradet
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
rss-ness
aftenbla-bla
frokostshowet-pa-p5
unitedno
rss-borsmorgen-okonominyhetene
grasoner-den-nye-kalde-krigen
ta-dokumentar