Houthis Escalate Conflict with Saudi Arabia in Red Sea

The conflict in Yemen has escalated with the Houthi rebels launching strikes on the Saudi state oil company and announcing a blockade of Saudi ships passing through the Red Sea.

This adds another crucial waterway to regional security concerns, alongside the Strait of Hormuz, and injects potential for escalation into the conflict that has been ongoing for six months.

Pro-Houthi commentator Hussain al-Bukhaiti predicted that there would be more escalation if Saudi Arabia does not accept Houthi demands, including free movement at Yemen's ports and airports, the exchange of all prisoners of war, and the use of Yemen's oil revenue to pay salaries for civil servants.

Saudi Arabia responded by announcing a defence coalition aimed at protecting international shipping and energy routes in the Red Sea.