Saudi Arabia calls in allies against Yemen's Houthis
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.