Houthis

In the Gulf, the In the Gulf, is still the dominant power, but Beijing is being urged to do more. Naval exercises, antenna construction, and Chinese-made missiles suggest that may already be happening

Walking a tightrope between Riyadh and Tehran, Beijing has little room to manoeuvre, but it is not without options. More air defence systems and drones could help defend Saudi Arabia

With fighting in the south-west, cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia, and no political settlement in sight, crude shipments are unlikely to resume any time soon

Türkiye and Pakistan have stepped up to help Saudi Arabia after it came under attack from the Houthis. The trio's coordination comes at a crucial time

Understanding the Yemen-based militia now exerting control over international shipping in the Red Sea means understanding its roots, context, and regional alliances

Had the anti-Houthi units been working in coordination, their enemy would not have progressed so easily down Yemen's Red Sea coast, but infighting and a lack of leadership opened the door

The US views talks with the Houthis as a way to contain the scope of the conflict with Iran, while Tehran sees them as a means to translate military gains in the Red Sea into political gains

Just as Iran used Hezbollah to expand its influence in the Levant, it is now using the Houthis to give it leverage in Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea amid its war with the US

The US is backing Saudi Arabia against the Yemeni rebel group without physically joining the war, reflecting a broader strategy of limiting US exposure

The Iran-backed militia has seized most of western Yemen to effectively control the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea and therefore the Suez Canal