Saudi Arabia has urged the United States to exercise restraint in responding to the Red Sea attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have become involved in the wider conflict sparked by the Hamas-Israel war.
The Houthis, aligned with Iran, have expanded their engagement in the conflict, targeting ships in crucial shipping lanes and launching drones and missiles towards Israel.
The group, controlling much of Yemen, frames these actions as solidarity with the Palestinians and vows to continue until Israel ceases its offensive on the Gaza Strip, despite the considerable distance from their power base in Sanaa.
Part of the Iran-aligned “Axis of Resistance,” the Houthis’ involvement in attacking Israeli and U.S. targets heightens regional risks, particularly for Red Sea states concerned about the threats to vital sea lanes and the trajectory of Houthi projectiles towards Israel.
As the world’s leading oil exporter, Riyadh has expressed alarm over Houthi missiles flying over its territory.
In response to the escalating attacks on shipping, Saudi Arabia, aiming to prevent further escalation, has communicated a message of restraint to the United States, reportedly satisfied with Washington’s current handling of the situation.
While Saudi Arabia presses for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, denouncing it as a “barbaric war,” its diplomatic efforts align with a broader strategy of promoting regional stability after years of tension with Iran and its allies.
This includes normalizing ties with Tehran and seeking an exit from the long-standing conflict with the Houthis in Yemen.
Amid concerns that the Yemen peace process might be jeopardized by the ongoing Gaza conflict, Saudi Arabia is actively working to advance negotiations between the warring parties in Yemen, even as hostilities persist.
Against the backdrop of the Hamas-Israel war, the Houthi attacks have elevated their status within the Iran-aligned camp, which includes Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iran-backed militias in Iraq.
With a substantial military force comprising tens of thousands of fighters and a formidable arsenal of ballistic missiles and armed drones, the Houthis have emerged as a significant player in the Arabian Peninsula.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
