Could Yemen’s Houthis Spark Major Escalation in the Middle East?
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The Yemen-based Houthis hijacked an Israeli-linked civilian ship in the Red Sea over the weekend, sparking media dialogue.
For Context: The Iran-backed Houthis, declared war on Israel last month. The ship’s operator, registration, captain, and crew were not Israeli, but the company that owns it has an Israeli partner.
U.S. Diplomacy: An analysis from Al Jazeera (Lean Left bias) said the only power that could reasonably prevent “Israeli-linked” ships from being hijacked is the U.S. The piece said targeting the Houthis directly could risk major escalation, but the U.S. could instead quietly nudge Iran to reign them in.
Iran-Backed Terror: An opinion for Jerusalem Post (Center bias) said “the world should let Tehran know that it is not fooled” by its denial of involvement. The writer also said the U.S. should designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization, something done by former President Donald Trump during his final days in office, and quickly undone when President Biden assumed office.
Regional War: An analysis from The New York Sun (Right bias) said the Houthis could spark an “all-out” regional war. The article noted that since October 7, in Iraq and Syria, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-linked groups have attacked Americans over 64 times, three of which have drawn American retaliation. The analysis noted a recent Washington Post (Lean Left bias) report that said the Biden administration is struggling to deter attacks from Iran-backed groups and also noted that Saudi Arabia would side with the U.S. and Israel in the event of further escalation.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Can the US, Israel stop Yemen’s Houthis from seizing more ships?
On Sunday, Houthi fighters hijacked a cargo ship in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen.
The 189-metre-long (620ft-long) Galaxy Leader car carrier, travelling from Turkey to India, was intercepted by small fast boats and boarded by uniformed, armed personnel.
Other people rappelled from a helicopter to the deck, ordering the crew to alter course to the Yemeni port of Hodeida.
No shots were fired, and the seized ship is a civilian vessel sailing between neutral countries, but the incident still has the potential to trigger a serious escalation in the...
From the Center
Houthi provocations will need to be dealt with
Until the October 7 massacre and the ensuing war, the Yemen-based, virulently antisemitic Houthis were a distant threat to most Israelis.
Most people had heard the Iran-backed Houthis in the context of the ongoing civil war in Yemen but did not pay them much attention.
With Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza and the West Bank, and Iran keen on setting up bases for proxies in Syria, Israel had closer, more immediate threats to worry about.
That was the thinking pre-October 7. In the post-October 7 world, however,...
From the Right
Escalating Aggression by Yemeni Houthis Seen as Possible Spark for All-Out Mideast War
The Yemeni Houthis, testing the patience of their neighbors, as well as of America and Israel, are escalating their aggression, with the latest test being the seizure of a cargo ship, the Galaxy Leader, in the Red Sea over the weekend. Will such provocations spark an all-out Mideast war?
Financed, trained, and armed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Houthis have since October 7 launched numerous medium-range missiles at Israel. American, Israeli, and Saudi defenses have intercepted the attacks. Yet, the interruption of a major shipping artery could lead to...
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