The Iran War has raged on for months now, and until recently, it was a self-contained conflict within Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, and bordering nations. That is no longer the case.
One of the major reasons Iran has become a threat in the Middle East and around the world is its tendency to openly support radical terrorist organizations all across the region. Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon have both become well-known terrorist cells with long histories of horrible atrocities to their name. Iran drove them forward and gave them the backing they needed to survive.
The Islamic State is playing that card once again, as the Houthis, a Yemen-based terrorist cell, are at war against Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally.
The Houthis were once a religious movement in Yemen that turned into full-blown terrorists in the 2010s when they started a civil war with the Yemeni government, only to lose when Saudi Arabia got involved. They were also known for firing missiles at Israel and ships in the Red Sea during the Gaza War. This occurred until U.S. and UK airstrikes neutralized the situation.
These religious fanatics want to control all of Yemen, and they are also seeking reparations from Saudi Arabia, to whom they seemingly attribute all of their problems.
Recently, the Houthis have gotten back on their feet, bombing large oil targets in Southern Saudi Arabia and resuming attacks on ships passing through the Red Sea. The Saudi Arabian East-West pipeline has been critically damaged and will take weeks to repair. The damage will only amplify the oil shortage. Allegedly, they have resumed attacks due to Saudi Arabia taking part in the blockade of Iran.
That doesn’t seem entirely true.
It’s fairly obvious that Iran, as the primary backer and supplier of the Houthis, has encouraged the terrorists to cause havoc in their own region, and the Saudi involvement in Iran gave the Houthis an opening.
However, this new front is important and strategic for Iran because of the proximity of Houthi-controlled territory. For those who don’t have Middle Eastern geography memorized, Yemen borders the Red Sea and, more importantly, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical chokepoint between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The passageway connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean, so controlling it could have devastating economic effects, even compared to the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis could disrupt shipping and trade globally.
Recently, they have started a ground offensive down the coast of Yemen, advancing all the way to the Bab al-Mandab Strait. They captured the Yemeni port cities of Mokha and Dhubab, and even an island on the strait. Essentially, one of the world’s most important trade bypasses is now being controlled by terrorists.
By far, this is the largest development in the Iran War right now and will undoubtedly put pressure on not only the Saudis but also the American military. Someone must deal with the threat to the world economy. The Saudis have reached out to Egypt for help preserving economic stability, but Egypt has stayed neutral so far, a stance that likely won’t change. As for the U.S., President Donald Trump may not have the luxury of time to handle his blockade of Iran if he can’t deal with both situations at once.
In essence, Iran, through its proxies, has essentially forced our hand. The only way out of this is decisive action from the United States or another major power, one way or another. Something will have to give, and one can only hope that it ends well for the sake of the world economy.
