What the Houthis’ entry into the Iran war means for the conflict and the wider region

Fresh attacks on Red Sea shipping would be devastating – but the Iranian proxy has reasons to be cautious Middle East crisis – live updates The true significance of the long-awaited entry of Yemen’s Houthis into the Iran war depends on whether the Tehran-backed proxy group is intending to send a few missiles and drones from a distance towards Israel or…

Key takeaways

Quick scan — what you need to know:

• Fresh attacks on Red Sea shipping would be devastating – but the Iranian proxy has reasons to be cautious Middle East crisis – live updates The true significance of the long-awaited entry of Yemen’s…
• The combined effect of both waterways being shut to commercial traffic from countries that neither the Iranians nor Houthis favour would be devastating.
• Napoleon Bonaparte’s remark that “the policy of a state lies in its geography” has never seemed more apt.
• Continue reading...

Background

What led here, in plain terms:

• Fresh attacks on Red Sea shipping would be devastating – but the Iranian proxy has reasons to be cautious Middle East crisis – live updates The true significance of the long-awaited entry of Yemen’s…
• The combined effect of both waterways being shut to commercial traffic from countries that neither the Iranians nor Houthis favour would be devastating.
• Napoleon Bonaparte’s remark that “the policy of a state lies in its geography” has never seemed more apt.
• Continue reading...

Why it matters

Why readers and decision-makers should care:

• Fresh attacks on Red Sea shipping would be devastating – but the Iranian proxy has reasons to be cautious Middle East crisis – live updates The true significance of the long-awaited entry of Yemen’s…
• The combined effect of both waterways being shut to commercial traffic from countries that neither the Iranians nor Houthis favour would be devastating.
• Napoleon Bonaparte’s remark that “the policy of a state lies in its geography” has never seemed more apt.