The Israeli-Palestinian conflict that is currently burning the Middle East has seen the Yemeni Houthi joining the conflict on the Palestinian side.
Who is the Houthi?
The Houthi had successfully orchestrated a low-level insurgency against the Sunni Yemeni government that received support from the Saudis for the better half of a decade.
Behind the scenes, the Houthis receive support from the Iranians, specifically from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IIRG). Amongst the chief orchestra was Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani of the IIRG's Quds Forces, a shadowy elite unit specialising in overseas operations. The United States (US) had classified the unit as a terrorist unit. As such, the US military assassinated Lt Gen Qassem Soleimani while he was visiting Baghdad, Iraq, in 2020 for an undisclosed purpose. The threat he posed to the US and its coalition saw it fit to target him with the controversial Hellfire R9X.
Just months before the Israeli-Palestine erupted, the Saudis and the Iranians made peace in a Beijing-brokered deal. With the deal, the Houthis were to stand down from their insurgency.
The World Underestimated Them
The world has underestimated the ability of the Houthis to control the Red Sea, thus blockading international shipping lanes to Israeli ports. However, the threat posed by the Houthis is not something the world has not seen before. Decades ago, Somali pirates targeted ships going through the nearby Gulf of Aden, putting the whole shipping lane into chaos.
Repercussions Closer to Home
What the Houthis are doing is not up for debate. However, their actions may have further repercussions closer to home.
Another potential shipping lane choke point is the Strait of Malacca. This narrow choke point is the world's third busiest waterway.
The Thai are now pushing hard to push for their Kra land bridge. With the Israelis' experience over the Red Sea, it would not be unfathomable if the Thais would use the Houthi blockade to sell their idea of the land bridge, especially to China, which has already long identified their overreliance on the strait.
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