Saudi Arabia calls in allies against Yemen's Houthis

Oct 06, 2026

Saudi Arabia's renewed war in Yemen is going badly for Riyadh, and the US is being pulled deeper into it — bad news for oil shipping and for anyone hoping gas prices come down.

  • Fighting restarted after Saudi forces fired on the runway in Sanaa, breaking a truce that had held since 2022.
  • Saudi-backed Yemeni forces briefly retook territory near the Bab al-Mandab chokepoint, then lost it again, including the port of Mocha.
  • The US has resumed refueling Saudi fighter jets, with the UK involved too, while Turkey and Pakistan send troops to defend Saudi Arabia itself under the new Mecca pact.
  • The Houthis have grown stronger over four years of restrictions, using cheap drones, drone boats and homemade missiles that can reach Saudi oil facilities.
  • Iran is still hitting ships near the Strait of Hormuz, forcing the US to use a third of its navy to escort tankers — which is why gas prices have not fallen.

Outlook: Neither side looks able to win quickly, and Washington risks being dragged in directly while shipping costs stay high.

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