The Houthi insurgency in Yemen began in 2004 against the regime of Ali Abdullah Saleh. But it was after the latter left power, following the Arab Spring, that the rebels seized the capital and really established themselves in the country.
In 2015, a coalition of Arab countries led by Riyadh and supported by Washington launched the war against the Houthis. But the first Saudi strikes took place in 2009. It was during this period that Tehran expressed its interest in Yemen.
Between 2015 and 2023, the West seems little interested in the situation in Yemen while the UN affirms that the country is experiencing one of the most serious humanitarian crises in the world. In total, 80% of the country's population will struggle to access food and basic services in 2023.
The Houthis returned to the headlines last November, when they began attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden that they believe are linked to Israel, in "solidarity" with the Palestinians in Gaza.
Also read: Houthi attacks in the Red Sea: what room for maneuver for the international coalition?
More than 80% of global trade in goods is carried out by sea and 12% of it passes through this area controlled by the Houthis. With these attacks, shipowners decided to suspend transits through the Red Sea and bypass Africa. This risks impacting global food prices.
The United States and the United Kingdom are responding with the risk of widening the conflict in an already tense Middle East.
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